GSL, Inc. (GSL) is a Delaware corporation, incorporated in 2006 with its principal place of business in Tulsa, OK. GSL is a qualified HubZone small business concern and has fewer than 50 employees. GSL utilizes five manufacturing sites and three warehouse sites.
What has been your company’s business strategy to gain market share?
GSL’s products are of the highest quality, surpassing industry standards. Dedicated to protecting people and assets from fire, GSL has developed and is aggressively establishing innovative, cost-effective product lines that deliver a higher standard of protection for workers in high-risk industries. GSL’s FR garments, as an example, undergo rigorous testing and exceed end user expectations for comfort, value and protection. GSL values strong distributor networks and qualifies select distributors to drive mutually beneficial revenue targets.
Describe the core branded products your company promotes
GSL manufactures and sells the following fire safety products:
• Firebane® Fire Suppression Agent and Systems. Firebane® is the only known aqueous-based, non-toxic and biodegradable agent certified to extinguish Class A, B and D fires. GSL sells the stand-alone Firebane® agent but also incorporates it into portable fire extinguishers and automatic/manually-activated fire suppression systems, some of which have successfully completed MIL-SPEC testing.
• Spentex® Next Generation Industrial (NGI) and Spentex® High Performance (HP) FR Garments deliver greater comfort, better protection and extended durability to high-risk commercial and service industries.
Do you offer distributors training and other value-added services?
GSL provides ongoing training to its distributors in areas of product development and performance, supply chain management sales and marketing support, lead management and aggressive end user marketing.
What business characteristics do you look for when deciding to work with a distributor?
GSL selectively partners with distributors who add value and who are technically proficient concerning the properties and characteristics of GSL’s products. We seek distributors who are teachable, motivated, cooperative, aggressive and professional. We want distributors who are knowledgeable of the oil/gas utility/industrial/petrochemical industries and can advance our products to them. We consider our distributors as true partners and will treat them as such.
Do you have any recent news about new facilities or new personnel to report?
Andrew Allen was named president and CEO of GSL in July of 2008. Mr. Allen is a highly experienced business leader and, as a former NASA astronaut and Marine Corps fighter pilot, knows first-hand the critical importance of fire safety and protection. Mr. Allen previously held executive assignments with Honeywell and United Space Alliance.
Marty Rowland joined GSL in 2009 and serves as its chief operating officer. Mr. Rowland has more than 28 years of leadership experience in the chemical industry. While with E.I. DuPont, his career spanned across multiple business units in a variety of disciplines such as project engineering, process engineering, maintenance and manufacturing leadership.
Tracy Linton serves as senior vice president of commercial sales. Prior to joining GSL, Tracy served as vice president of sales for Galey & Lord, a leading domestic textile manufacturer of woven sportswear and workwear fabrics.
Mitch Freeman has served as GSL’s vice president of product development and testing since 2006. As an innovator and product design specialist, Mr. Freeman holds U.S. patents in the mobile video field and was an early inventor of video/cellular/Internet systems that won two 1994 Emmy Awards.
Describe your current financial picture
GSL anticipates sustained dynamic growth, both domestically and internationally, during the next three-five years. Since opening its doors in 2006, it has experienced double-digit growth and maintains a strong, aggressive outlook for capital expansion.
This growth is driven by an expanding portfolio of unique and compelling fire safety products that have increasing brand recognition, superb performance and are cost competitive.
What should distributors know about your company’s future?
GSL’s future is extremely bright. The company has invested heavily in establishing a global footprint to support its global opportunities both for product and services.
