If you are interested in the Rules governing the management of the UK Gasket & Sealing Association, please download our latest Rules, dated September 2023. These were approved at the Annual General Meeting in September 2023.
If you have any queries regarding our Rules, please contact the Secretariat.
1. Foundation
The UK Gasket & Sealing Association (hereinafter referred to as “the Association”) is an unincorporated association consisting of members who may apply to join the Association in terms of 4. below (hereinafter referred to as “a Member” or “Members”).
2. Mission statement: The aims of the Association are:
(a) to represent to Government and other relevant national and international agencies, the commercial and professional interests of Members engaged in the manufacture of gaskets and in the conversion and application of suitable materials as gaskets and joint sealants;
(b) to extend, increase and disseminate knowledge of the manufacturing/conversion/application processes undertaken by Members and others;
(c) to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas among Members in regard to all questions connected with such manufacturing/conversion/application processes;
(d) to bring to the attention of Members any new developments in or improved methods of such processes;
(e) to enhance the reputation and professional standing of Members;
(f) to provide a forum for the effective interchange of ideas both among Members and those with whom they have commercial and professional dealings;
(g) to enhance the professional status and esteem of all those engaged in the gasket manufacturing and sealing industries; and
(h) to provide a ready point of contact between those engaged in these manufacturing/conversion/application processes and those with whom they have professional, commercial or regulatory dealings.
3. Governance
(a) The sovereign body of the Association is a general meeting of all Members.
(b) Only Members may vote in general meetings and have the power to nominate representatives for election to the Executive Committee. A Member or office bearer, employee or authorised representative of a Member may hold office on the Executive Committee.
(c) Between Annual General Meetings, the Association is governed by a volunteer Executive Committee comprised of not more than 10 representatives elected annually by Members which shall meet as frequently as the Executive Committee shall decide according to the requirements of the business and operation of the Association.
(d) At their first meeting following the Annual General Meeting, the Executive Committee shall elect from among their number a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, a Treasurer, a Membership Officer, a Marketing and Events Officer, a Golf Convenor and such other office bearers or post holders as the Executive Committee may deem appropriate according to the needs of the business of the Association and its operation.
(e) The Executive Committee shall have full power to manage the Association including the power to appoint, remunerate from the funds of the Association and dismiss professional support staff to assist them in the execution of their duties and responsibilities.
(f) 4 elected Members present shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Executive Committee.
4. Membership
(a) The Executive Committee will exercise full control over application and admission procedures of Members. Its decision on all matters concerning applications and admissions will be final and they will not be bound to give any reason for any of their decisions on such matters.
(b) Applications for membership of the Association will be considered by the Executive Committee from any company, partnership, trading organisation or body:
(i) the primary business of which is the manufacture of gaskets from raw materials and/or the manufacture of joint sealants and/or the supply or manufacture of materials or finished products used in the sealing industry and/or associated industries; or
(ii) has a commercial or professional interest in gaskets, joints, seals or the sealing industry and is in a position to make a positive contribution to the aims and objectives of the Association.
(c) Membership shall be corporate rather than personal. All office bearers, employees or authorised representatives of a Member will have access to and may benefit from services provided by the Association.
(d) The Executive Committee shall be entitled to fix or vary the annual membership subscription payable by Members and shall notify Members of this annually.
5. Rights and obligations of Members
(a) All Members may attend, vote and participate fully in the activities of the Association and benefit from membership services.
(b) As a condition of membership, all Members are bound by these Rules of the Association for the time being in force and the UKGSA Code of Practice at 9 below as these shall be varied and approved by the Members in General Meeting from time to time.
6. Elections
Every Member may nominate a named individual to serve on the Executive Committee. In the event that there are more nominations received than vacancies to be filled, a postal or confidential electronic ballot of all Members will be held.
7. Voting
(a) In general meetings each Member shall have one vote. In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second, casting vote.
(b) At meetings of the Executive Committee, every elected or co-opted Member present shall be entitled to a single vote. In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second, casting vote.
8. Finance
(a) The Association financial year will run from 1st October to 30th September.
(b) Annual membership subscriptions become payable on 1st October. Any Member joining after 1st August in any year will be entitled to (up to) 14 months’ membership at the currently agreed annual rate. Special introductory offers on membership subscriptions may be offered from time to time.
(c) Any Member who fails to pay their annual membership subscription in full within 60 days of the date of the invoice issued by the Association for the same shall automatically cease to be a Member.
(d) All cheques or electronic bank transfers (BACS) payments drawn over £500 on the Association bank accounts must be signed/authorised by any two from the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary ex officio.
9. Code of Practice
By becoming and continuing as a Member that Member guarantees, undertakes and obliges itself as follows:
1. that goods and services supplied by the Member shall conform fully with current UK legislative and regulatory requirements;
2. that customer satisfaction and safety are of prime importance in all the Member’s dealings;
3. that the Member’s business maintains adequate levels of insurance cover appropriate to the nature, scale and scope of its business activities;
4. that all people employed or engaged by the Member are adequately trained and supervised by competent management appropriate to their job functions and that it shall operate formal internal quality assurance systems covering all aspects of its business activities;
5. that the Member will supply goods/services in accordance with the agreed order specification and provide adequate and appropriate customer support and after-sales services;
6. that the Member will accept full responsibility to its customers for the performance of anyone to whom work is sub-contracted;
7. that the Member will uphold the good name and reputation of the Association and its Members by offering best available advice to all customers on matters of specification and sources of supply;
8. that in the event of any dispute between a customer of a Member and that Member, which cannot be satisfactorily resolved through the Member’s own internal procedures, the Member agrees to the appointment by the Association on an equally shared cost basis with the customer, of an independent arbitrator by whose decision the Member will abide;
9. that all information of a confidential nature, gained in the course of dealings with another Member will not be divulged to third parties;
10. that the Member will abide by any decision of the Executive Committee, under the terms of their approved disciplinary procedures, following their consideration of any reported serious breach of this Code of Practice including a decision to suspend or terminate membership.
10. Disciplinary Procedures
(a) If, in the opinion of any person, whether in membership of the Association or not, any Member has allegedly been guilty of any conduct prejudicially affecting the welfare of the Association or is not deemed to be suitable to continue as a Member or who has contravened the provisions of the Code of Practice at 9 above, the matter shall be reported, in writing, to the Executive Committee.
(b) Following receipt of the complaint the Executive Committee may invite the Member to resign from the Association within such time as the Executive Committee may determine.
(c) In default of any such resignation or by way of alternative action in the light of the facts as then known, the Member may be suspended from membership of the Association by the Executive Committee pending a detailed consideration of the case (including taking of oral or written evidence from the Member and other parties involved in the matter), by a specially convened panel of not less than four members.
(d) The panel may find in favour of the Member or may recommend suspension or resignation or removal from membership of the Association provided that no Member shall be required to resign its membership or be suspended except by formal Resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the members of the Executive Committee present and voting at the meeting and unless the Member concerned or its appointed representative in its defence shall first have had the opportunity of being heard at the meeting. Any Member suspended or recommended for expulsion under the provisions of these Rules shall have the right of appeal to the full Executive Committee whose decision – expressed by a simple majority of those present and voting – shall be final and binding.
Proposed by the Executive Committee and approved by the Members of the Association in General Meeting on 21st September 2023
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