The FDS Group is delighted to announce the opening of a new distribution company for the UK market.           

New-Seal Ltd has been formed as a result of the purchase of the former Beldam Burgmann branch network from the Pexion Group, the Holding Company for Beldam Crossley and the branch network.

FDS Group also owns Flexitallic Ltd and Novus Sealing Ltd in the UK.

Details of new company and network

The new Distributor network will be known as New-Seal Ltd.

We will start with a branch network covering the Offshore Oil Industry in Aberdeen and Lowestoft/ Great Yarmouth (Ipswich), and the major end user areas of Central Scotland (Glasgow); Teesside (Middlesborough); South Wales (Cardiff); the North West of England (Bolton) 

New-Seal Ltd will be a fully owned, independent, FDS Group Company joining Flexitallic Ltd and Novus Sealing Ltd who are already in the Group in the UK

Management team

Phil Kelshaw, the Managing Director of Flexitallic Ltd and Novus Sealing Ltd, will be responsible for all the FDS Group companies in the UK, including New-Seal Ltd.

Phil stated: 

“This is the start of an exciting new strategic venture. We are confident that we can improve the delivery of our sealing solutions to all our UK customers with a mix of Flexitallic and Novus applications and sales experience, coupled with continued supply of Beldam Crossley Maintenance products through the local service from our new UK branch network.

Whilst our preferred route to market will be via New-Seal Ltd, we will continue to supply the market via our current network of Independent Distributors at our current pricing levels.

We look forward with great confidence to a successful and growing future.”

Key team members:

Natalie Prescott will continue in her current role as branch co-ordinator

The existing branch Managers – Eileen McElroy (Glasgow and Aberdeen); Linda Kendrick (Middlesbrough); Beverley Stephenson (Ipswich); Joanne Reid (Cardiff) will all continue their current roles

Stephen Templeman will continue as the Manager of the Gasket Cutting facility in Middlesbrough, and Yana Velychko continues as financial controller

Andy Heywood, Novus Sealing Ltd Commercial Director and Alex Lattimer, Flexitallic Ltd Commercial Director will play the leading roles in providing support and sales assistance to NewSeal Ltd

Jon Brough, Flexitallic Ltd Sales Director will be involved in setting the strategy for growth and helping integrate the new business into the FDS Group

Products offered

As with all Distribution companies we will be pleased to supply any product the customer wants. 

However the product ranges we will be promoting as “preferred brands” are:

• All Flexitallic semi metallic and metallic gaskets. SWG; Kammprofile; and RTJ
• All Novus Sealing AF sheeting and Graphite Laminate products
• Flexitallic Sigma® modified PTFE sheet products
•  Flexitallic Thermiculite® based sheeting, braided packing and semi metallic products
•  Novus Sealing CMG and Jacketed gaskets
•  Beldam Crossley Maintenance products, including braided packing and specialised PTFE products

 Strategy and reasons for this purchase

Flexitallic and Novus Sealing have traditionally worked with OEMs and key end users to provide the best sealing solutions.

The route to market has been a mixture of direct trading and the use of the well established Distributors and Gasket Cutters that are prevalent in the UK market.

Most Distributors and Gasket Cutters are successful independent companies and therefore have tended to promote a range of preferred products often from a wide selection of manufacturers. 

Recently their has been a trend where manufacturers in the UK have purchased distribution companies or major European distributors have purchased UK outlets and this has made it difficult to find Distributors to help promote Flexitallic and Novus products in a way that we would prefer.

We therefore set up a strategy to enhance the distribution of our products through a network in the UK providing cover in the key end user areas. 

We will continue to support and supply those independent distributors and cutters we have traditionally dealt with, with our range of products so supply to our customers is maintained.

For further information please contact: David Mitchell, Director of Corporate Development - 01274 853408 or 07789 770040; or Kath Payne, UK Marketing Manager - 01274 878787 Ext.228