SRP: 75 Years of Precision Components for a Changing World
For 75 years, SRP has grown with manufacturing.
Since 1951, the company has produced billions of gaskets and custom components in the Chicagoland area, supporting the products and equipment that keep industry moving. But SRP’s story is about more than what it makes. It is a story of family, resilience and a long-standing commitment to quality, service and innovation.
What began as a small operation producing rubber gaskets in Chicago became a trusted manufacturing partner known for precision, reliability and responsiveness. Over the decades, SRP expanded its materials, technologies and capabilities to meet changing customer needs and rising performance demands.
That ability to adapt has defined the company from the beginning.
Built in Chicago, Shaped by Family
Our story begins in a shop on Grand Avenue in Chicago. Al Gualano acquired Standard Rubber Products Co. in its early years and began building it into a long-standing family business. He later brought his brother Ralph Gualano into the company, pairing Al’s business instincts and relationship-driven approach with Ralph’s manufacturing knowledge and production expertise.
The sons of Italian immigrants and both World War II veterans, Al and Ralph helped shape the company’s early identity through hard work, service and a belief that customers should be able to count on the people behind the parts they buy.
In those early years, SRP supplied gaskets and seals to manufacturers across Chicago, cutting shapes from rolls of black sheet rubber. Those early products laid the foundation for what SRP would become: a company built on workmanship, dependability and strong customer relationships.
Built to Adapt
As manufacturing evolved, SRP evolved with it.
Starting as a small shop with manual clicker presses, Standard Rubber Products Co. emerged in an era of significant manufacturing growth.
As manufacturing expanded in the 20th century, vulcanized rubber became a widely adopted sealing material. Manufacturers valued it for its affordability and scalability, along with its ability to withstand pressure, steam and chemicals. During the post-World War II manufacturing boom, Standard Rubber Products Co. was there to help meet rising demand for rubber gaskets and O-rings.
Still, industries needed components that could deliver even greater performance against pressure, impact, chemicals, heat and weather. Material manufacturers responded with synthetic rubber compounds, pressure-sensitive adhesives and specialty foams engineered for more demanding conditions.
It wasn’t enough to keep up with these changes. Standard Rubber Products Co. had to evolve with them.
Al Gualano was not only building lasting relationships with his customers, he was listening to their needs and developing connections with suppliers who provided the raw materials. He wanted his customers to have access to the newest and best materials on the market. He and Ralph quickly realized they would need specialized equipment to meet growing demand while also cutting these new high-performance materials with precision.
In 1970, SRP moved into a larger facility in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, positioning the company for its next phase of growth.
As products became more complex and performance requirements more demanding, SRP continued investing in its capabilities. Over the years, the company expanded its material knowledge and converting expertise while adding technologies such as waterjet cutting, adhesive laminating, laser cutting, reciprocating knife cutting, rotary die cutting and traveling head cutting.
Each step forward strengthened SRP’s ability to deliver precision components for increasingly demanding applications.
Over time, SRP expanded into new applications as technology and manufacturing continued to evolve. In the early 1980s, the company produced gaskets for early cellular phone assemblies, and in the decades that followed, it supported multiple generations of mobile devices.
In 2006, SRP opened a facility in Zhuhai, China to support growing production demands and better serve a broader base of global manufacturers
A Legacy Carried Forward
During the early 1970s, as Al Gualano faced health challenges, he began thinking seriously about the future of the business. When he unexpectedly passed away in 1976, SRP entered a pivotal transition.
His son, Larry Gualano, who had already been working at SRP since he was a teenager, stepped in to help carry the business forward. He continued working full time while attending night school to earn his business degree, and he and his uncle, Ralph Gualano, worked together to lead the company, helping to provide continuity during an important moment in SRP’s history.
SRP moved into its second generation of leadership under Al Gualano’s children: Larry Gualano, Rita Schmid and Al Gualano. They guided SRP through decades of growth, expanding capabilities, strengthening customer relationships and building on the foundation established in the company’s early years.
SRP also continued to grow as a true family business. Rita’s husband, John Schmid, took a leadership role as Vice President of Manufacturing. Larry’s wife, Janice, and Al’s wife, Connie, both became part of the front office team. Ralph’s daughter, Florence, became part of the company and serves in HR.
Still Building for What’s Next
Today, SRP remains grounded in the same values that shaped it from the beginning: family leadership, manufacturing expertise and pride in doing quality work.
The current owners are Larry Gualano, President; Rita Schmid, CFO; and Al Gualano, Vice President of Sales.
The third generation of family involvement includes Eric Schmid, Johnny Schmid, Larry Gualano Jr., Kyle Schmid and Nick Gualano, helping carry SRP’s legacy into its next chapter.
After 75 years, much has changed in materials, production methods and product design. But SRP’s focus has remained consistent: evolve with customers, solve complex manufacturing challenges and deliver components that perform to high standards in real-world conditions.
That is what SRP has done since 1951. And it is still building for the future.