Exam glove boom brings good times for manufacturers
ERJ staff report (DS)
Dublin, California -- Marketstrat has published a new report titled, Disposable Medical Gloves (Surgical & Exam) Markets Worldwide . The 248-page report was first published in January 2010 and is available for a price of around US$2500, depending on delivery options.
Market and technology trends in both exam gloves and surgical gloves are discussed in this report. Some of the significant trends are as follows:
- Powdered-latex gloves, both exam and surgical, are becoming a relic of the past. Many European governments and health agencies have banned already them. The US FDA is likely to ban them in the future.
- The most popular medical gloves currently are low-protein, powder-free latex gloves, followed by vinyl and nitrile.
- Hospitals concerned with avoiding latex products are targeting the easiest and most obvious medical latex product, replacing them with vinyl or nitrile, an even better material which is now more affordable.
- The surgical glove market has been invaded by a variety of synthetic gloves. In addition to nitrile, new generation polymers such as polychloroprene and polyisoprene with superior comfort and tactile sensitivity present a viable alternative to latex surgical gloves.
- Large manufacturers are responding to changing market demands by shifting manufacturing operations to synthetics.
Prices of all types of gloves rose over recent years as raw material prices and fuel prices skyrocketed. Despite the economic slowdown in many countries, increasing demand has been driving this industry. High demand helped offset price increases due to production costs, with the most significant change happening in the nitrile glove segment. Users started buying nitrile when production shortages and plagued the two popular materials, latex and vinyl.
This is an external link and should open in a new window. If the window does not appear, please check your pop-up blocking software. ERJ is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Press release from Marketstrat
Home page of report on Marketstrat website
This article is only available to subscribers - subscribe today
Subscribe for unlimited access. A subscription to European Rubber Journal includes:
- Every issue of European Rubber Journal (6 issues) including Special Reports & Maps.
- Unlimited access to ERJ articles online
- Daily email newsletter – the latest news direct to your inbox
- Access to the ERJ online archive