A Diamond Jubilee

Gorman Co., Inc. celebrates 60 years.

by Sherry Ward

Celebrating its 60th year of operation, Gorman Co., Inc. (GCI) proudly remains a premier manufacturer of quality, low-friction hydraulic seals and worm gear sealing products for the vertical-transportation (VT) industry. Gerald W. Gorman organized the company in 1963 after 18 years of extensive experience in the industry and securing several patents for his innovative designs. Hal Gorman, Gerald’s son, followed in his father’s footsteps, amassing 40 years of experience in the VT industry himself and securing several patents of his own.

“We are proud to continue to serve the VT industry as a family-owned American manufacturer and would like to thank our customers for their continued business,” Hal Gorman said. 

GCI credits several key factors with its 60 years of success. The company manufactures a full line of seals for hydraulic and geared machine elevators implementing Hal Gorman’s leading-edge, patented “G+™” friction-reduction technology material for hydraulic packing, which provides longer life and improved control of low-speed vibration. Another of GCI’s successful key products is its split replacement seal for geared machines, allowing for easier installation and reduced down-time. Finally, GCI has complete tooling facilities on-site, allowing for the development of new products and the creation of new solutions to product issues.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) Michael Johnson added:

“Taking the time to understand what our customers need at the ground level and developing solutions to meet those needs has always been and will continue to be our focus. We are constantly striving to develop innovative ways to make our products and service more effective. It all starts with the mechanics’ needs. When the mechanics’ needs are met and exceeded, repairs can be made efficiently and effectively, which, in turn, helps those companies run efficiently.” 

Hal Gorman also developed an oil quality standard that is specific to the unique demands of hydraulic elevators. This standard is the basis for the GCI Oil Analysis Program. Understanding the effect of oil quality on hydraulic system performance, GCI now offers offline filtration products through OilScrubber.com. This program and related products have become key to identifying and preventing problems within customers’ hydraulic systems.

While manufacturing has always been key through the years, the customer service team and experienced technicians are also an integral part of the success of GCI by providing knowledge-based product identification and problem solving. GCI seeks to provide its customers with the knowledge, tools, testing and products they need to make elevator and geared machine repair a seamless process.  

As the company celebrates its sixth decade in business, GCI enjoys continued growth in its customer base throughout North America and an expanding international customer base.

As the company celebrates its sixth decade in business, GCI enjoys continued growth in its customer base throughout North America and an expanding international customer base. GCI operates with Hal W. Gorman as president and Josephine Gorman as senior vice president (VP) backed by a strong leadership team ensuring the continued high quality of manufacturing and customer service GCI’s customers have come to expect.

Josephine Gorman said: 

“My grandfather and Gorman Co. founder, G.W. Gorman, always stressed that there are three basic principles to building a successful business. First, quality products that exceed expectations in effectiveness and durability. We manufacture our seals and products on-site to ensure their quality never diminishes. Second, outstanding customer service that provides proper support for not only the companies we serve but also the individual mechanics in the field. This entails not just sales expertise but also providing accurate information in response to customer questions and even troubleshooting packing problems for our customers. And finally, excellent care for our employees motivates productivity and efficiency that, in turn, provide better customer service. Gorman Co. was built on these principles in 1963, and they will continue to be the basis for our next 60 years.”