Topog-E Gasket Co.

The Topog-E Gasket Company has been manufacturing rubber gaskets for steam, air and water applications since 1956. The company was started by Frank Maxwell Thomas, a combustion engineer. Frank formed Thomas Engineering in 1948, selling steam boilers and hot water heaters. The company’s initial move into rubber gaskets was prompted by a customer’s question to Frank: “why couldn’t a boiler gasket be made out of rubber?” The fibrous gaskets used at the time were unreliable, leading to lengthy and expensive downtime whilst the gasket was removed and the shell and plates were chiselled and buffed.