GENERAL OVERVIEW
1. Traditionally, Natural Rubber (NR) latex glove has been the glove of choice for the medical industry due to its low chemical and puncture resistance. Moreover, it is highly biodegradable and can be easily disposed of by incineration.
2.However nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) attributes include:
-Latex-free
-Are most puncture resistant
-Have a high level of sensitivity
-Mold to your hand for a great fit
-Are good for wearing an extended amount of time
-Work well for high-risk situations involving infectious material
-Resist many chemicals
-Have a long shelf life
-Are available in blue or black to help identify if the glove has been punctured
3. Remarkable advancements in healthcare services due to prevalence of several medical conditions has proliferated the NBR latex market, which was valued at over USD 1.1 billion in 2017 globally. According to reports, the global spending on healthcare had reached 10% of global GDP in 2014, amounting to nearly USD 7.7 billion. The figure offers an understanding of the huge prospects in existence for various sectors associated with healthcare and medical services, including glove manufacturers that contribute majorly to the nitrile butadiene rubber latex industry.
4. The presence of lucrative opportunities gave way to the emergence of numerous industry players in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, which constitutes a massive labor force and lowest labor costs. Transfer of technologies have enabled the production of superior quality NBR products in countries like China, India and Malaysia, with Malaysia reportedly leading the global glove manufacturing sector.
5. Over the past couple of years, Malaysia-based chemical company Synthomer has introduced new and innovative nitrile latex products for the glove industry that allows for greater sensitivity and utilizes lesser raw materials in manufacturing. In 2015, it launched the Synthomer 6338 which, the company claims, gives glove manufacturers access to advanced NBR technology for improving process efficiency and producing high-performance, low-weight gloves. Synthomer’s innovative low-energy nitrile product introduced in 2017 offered enhanced tensile strength, durability and resistance to chemicals, besides providing increased manufacturing efficiency.
6. The overall NBR glove market, propelled further by consistent product developments, has been characterized by the growing demand for medical services across the world and availability of high-quality NBR glove producers. Being highly capital-intensive, the NBR latex market is comprised of few but prominent industry participants like Synthomer, Omnova Solutions, LG Chem, Zeon Chemicals, Nantex and Kumho Petrochemicals.
NITRILE GLOVES AND OTHER SUBSTITUTES
1. In January 2019, Malaysia's Top Glove Corporation, the world's largest glove maker by capacity, expects sales volume of natural latex gloves and nitrile gloves to decline 1% this year as supplies of vinyl gloves resume.
2. China's push for tougher environmental regulations since 2017 have resulted in tens of thousands of businesses being penalized and closures of many. The crackdown also resulted in a sharp drop in supply of low-margin vinyl gloves that are typically manufactured in China.
3. For fiscal year ending Aug. 31, Top Glove plans to add 4.6 billion pieces of gloves to its current annual capacity of 60.5 billion units. By 2020, the company aims to raise total production to 80.1 billion pieces per year in a bid to control 30% world market share.
(Source:cmferesearch, nikkei, rubberasia)
