The Seals, Commercial Kitchen Gasket Specialists, Open In Guilford

GUILFORD, CT — The Seals, a 15-year-old North Carolina-based commercial kitchen and food service refrigeration gasket maintenance, repair, and replacement company, recently opened its first Connecticut franchise location in Guilford at 29 Soundview Road, Suite 12.

This represents the fourth location overall for The Seals. According to their website, the company services many municipalities in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia.

The Seals provides owners and managers of food service operations with commercial refrigeration gasket maintenance, replacement and related services.

The Seals helps restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores, caterers, hotels, school systems, nursing homes, hospitals and hospitality venues have more efficient food and beverage refrigeration systems.

Additionally, The Seals helps these businesses either avoid or quickly rectify refrigeration gasket issues identified during health inspections.

The Seals-Connecticut will initially focus on customers in New Haven and Middlesex counties, although they are currently able to service any Connecticut-based business, the company noted in a news release.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at Guilford Town Hall on June 20. Coordinated through the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce, the event featured The Seals-Connecticut franchise owner Greg Tuers and his family, along with The Seals employees; First Selectman Matt Hoey; Shoreline Chamber President Dee Jacob; and other Guilford business and municipal government officials.

The company has worked with businesses such as Chick-fil-A, Panera Bread, Olive Garden, and Ruth’s Chris Steak House, as well as small, independently owned restaurants like the initial customers Tuers has signed in Connecticut: Wooster Street Pizza (Cromwell and Meridan), Brew Bakers (Middletown), and Portofino’s (Berlin).

"I am excited to bring this service to Connecticut restaurants. Our products and services help food service providers save money and improve their health inspection scores. These savings and confidence in food safety also benefit customers," said Tuers in a news release.

Andy Dinkin purchased Gaskets Rock of the Carolinas and rebranded the company to The Seals in 2010.

"I founded this company to give peace of mind to food service company owners concerned with the cost and effectiveness of refrigeration sealing solutions and other gasketing needs in commercial kitchen operations, such as oven and steamer gaskets, door closers, and sweeps as well as strip curtains," Dinkin said in a news release. "We’ve become experts in addressing these issues and helping restaurants, cafeterias, supermarkets, and the like remain compliant and profitable."

For more information on The Seals, go to their website.