New York, NY – GAB CO. Safety Equipment & Supplies is a Brooklyn-based company that specializes in head-to-toe personal protective equipment (PPE). Its owner and President is Gabriella DeLuca, who will be writing a regular column for LaborPress about safety in the workplace. “Safety is our priority because it’s your priority” is its slogan.
The company itself is about two years old, but DeLuca has many years experience in observing the industries it serves.
“My family has been in construction for generations,” she says. “My grandfather and his brothers were members of the New York City’s Cement and Concrete Workers Union for over 50 years. My father started in construction as a painter, plasterer and carpenter. He owned his own general contracting company and millwork company when I was a kid. Later he went into reinforced concrete. Given that I have been around the industry my entire life.”
DeLuca continues, “Not only as a kid but as a woman I was always interested in the field. It took me a while to figure out where to go with that. I didn’t realize how much I knew.”
Her education in other fields helped DeLuca when she came to the point of starting her own company. “I went to school for business management and marketing and worked for various media companies and advertising agencies out of school as well as public relations firms. When I left PR, I started freelancing and found myself helping the family business. I learned about the WBE (Women’s Business Enterprise) program that offers certifications at the city, state, and federal levels.” It was then she developed the idea and started GAB CO. Safety Equipment & Supplies. She is now New York City and State WBE certified, DBE certified and PANYNJ SBE and WBE Certified. DeLuca applied for her certifications, as well as graduated from the Small Business Services Mentorship Program.
“I knew I could sell with my marketing background,” she says. “I had the foundation and principles to start the company,” which has one full-time employee as well as salespeople and drivers.
The top of the line products GAB Co. Safety Equipment & Supplies carries are handpicked to help keep businesses safe and compliant, reducing risk and injuries. It specializes in PPE, site safety equipment and janitorial supplies to companies with industrial and construction labor forces, in both the public and private sector. It also provides screen printing and embroidery services on custom apparel, working with union printers on American, union-made products. Union clients it has worked with in the past include Local 780 Cement Masons, District Council 16, Cement and Concrete workers, and Local 1 Elevator Constructors.
DeLuca says that safety standards have changed dramatically over the years. “The safety standards are getting more stringent,” she says, “and will only continue to do so to keep workers safe.” As an example, she says, “My grandfather used to wear an aluminum hardhat on the job – which can act as an electrical conductor. Now these new climbing or biking helmets are being introduced and mandated on certain jobs and provide an entirely new level of safety features.”
For more information, see the GAB CO. Safety Equipment & Supplies website at www.gabcosafety.com.
