Rubber Journal Asia Gloves
Cleanroom disposable gloves: technology advancements Cleanroom disposable gloves market players
other hand, vinyl gloves are believed to be the most uncomfortable products owing to their rigid nature. However, the future of nitrile gloves is expected to be more promising for the immense comfort level they assure. Today, many suppliers combine advanced nitrile-based manufacturing technologies to blend the sensitivity of rubber latex material, with the protection level of nitrile for cleanroom gloves to get the best of both worlds. This most popular technology used to make cleanroom disposable gloves is known as the tripledip coating technique. It results in paramount glove strength and durability.
are embracing advanced technology to ensure the gloves provide comfort and act as a barrier for contaminants, according to this report by Big Market Research.
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alidation of any cleanroom glove used in a particular industry is undoubtedly a lengthy and demanding procedure. In an extremely regulated commercial environment, the requirements for these gloves have now changed say research analysts at Big Market Research. Industry experts eyeing the growth opportunities, share, and size of the cleanroom disposable gloves market explain that 20 years ago the standard gloves used for PE packaging were accepted in the cleanroom. Likewise, vinyl gloves were highly popular in the microelectronic sector. However, concerns over contamination issues posed by these gloves were responsible for their disappearance. Meanwhile, the practice of using surgical gloves in the pharmaceutical sector remained popular in the aseptic environment.
“…the future of nitrile gloves is expected to be more promising for the immense comfort level they assure….” Why nitrile is everyone’s favorite atural rubber latex products have been used across different cleanroom environments. Attributes such as flexibility of this material offers weavers the dexterity they need to perform the activities with great precision. However, despite the comfort level, rubber latex presents risks. Approximately 6% of the world’s population suffers from latex sensitivity, resulting in latex allergy, dermatitis, and other skin problems. Constant exposure to latex can also result in Type 1 reaction, which is often life threatening. Today, many pharmaceutical companies plan to implement several latex-free regulations to avoid the risk of allergies and contamination. Moreover, in the microelectronic sector, an extremely high resistivity of latex gloves tends to create a risk of ESD, which can cause damage to products and costs more than the yearly expenditure on gloves. This has, thus, opened new avenues for nitrile gloves, which are believed to be the best alternative to natural latex gloves as the synthetic material eliminates the constant risk of latex sensitivity. Nitrile not only reduces the electrical resistivity but also is known for its capability to lower the risk of ESD and offers a better protection from chemicals over natural rubber latex. The advantages of nitrile gloves over latex explain why cleanrooms are gradually moving away from the application of latex products. However, there are still some that prefer latex for their cleanroom applications.
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Glove materials used in a controlled environment opular materials used to make cleanroom disposables gloves include vinyl, chloroprene, rubber latex and nitrile. While vinyl is known for being static dissipative, clean, and affordable, rubber latex has a perfect cost ration than any other available material. Nitrile is used for its attributes, such as perfect puncture and chemical resistance, than rubber latex, particularly with solvents. Materials used to make gloves directly influence the comfort level of the user. For instance, rubber latex products are considered highly comfortable. On the
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Today, advanced nitrile-based manufacturing technologies blend the sensitivity of rubber latex material, to get the best of both worlds
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Rubber Journal Asia Tyre Market Gloves Another company on the list is Ammex. This Seattle-based glove dealer generates about US$90 million each year. The company enjoys s 50:50 partnership with several firms in China. Another company that has made inroads in the industry is Shield Scientific that has embraced advanced technology to manufacture cleanroom gloves. The company’s Shieldskin Xtreme series is branded different from all the other products available in the market. While many companies brand their products as ISO class 4, Shield Scientific challenges the paradigm of how classification of products for airborne particulates is associated with cleanroom disposable gloves. According to many industry experts, it should be left to the users to decide their comfort zones.
Industries experiencing increased demands echanical hazards have created a greater demand for cleanroom disposable gloves worldwide. This need is associated with the management and the handling of several rough as well as hazardous substances, which often abrade, can result in a cut or deep wound, such as metal sheet, masonry blocks, and others. The usage is, however, not associated with moving the machinery or different parts. Whether you are involved in an activity that requires total immersion, or a mere splash of a substance that can cause irritation or burn is classed as a chemical hazard. Meanwhile, the exponential growth in the contamination control technology has created a place for rubber gloves. Ironclad need for cleanliness and hygiene is fuelling growth of the cleanroom disposable gloves market.
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Cleanroom gloves enjoy high margins worldwide leanroom gloves are subject to very high margins but their potential for growth remains robust. Business verticals such as semi-conductors and electrical and electronics have a high requirement for these gloves. Many medical glove manufacturers also produce disposable gloves for cleanrooms, since the material used in a controlled environment is developing rapidly. Besides the demand for cleanroom gloves made from vinyl, nitrile, and latex is growing. Apart from being thin, these products are disposable and are listed in accordance to ISO to denote the compatibility level. According to a study by the Scottish Society for Contamination Control, the cleanroom glove segment is highly critical while curbing contamination issues in the semiconductors, disk-drive, and several other technology-driven industries. The research outlines that these gloves are among the most popular and are highly expensive, too. The study further highlights how technology plays an eminent role in the formulation of these gloves. A strong demand in the sector from the food & beverage and
Prominent leaders in the market ne of the most prominent companies that operate in the cleanroom disposable gloves market is Malaysia-based Top Glove. Established in 1991, it was recently listed on the Singapore stock exchange. This renowned manufacturer of rubber gloves has a production capability of about 45 million gloves/year; operates 25 production units located worldwide and exports gloves to more than 190 countries. In a statement to Nikkei Asian Review, Lim Wee Chai, the Executive Chairman/Founder of Top Glove, said, “We are not afraid of business or hard work— we are afraid of no business and no work.”
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“…the cleanroom glove segment is highly critical while curbing contamination issues in the semiconductors, disk-drive, and other technologydriven industries….”
Top Glove, the world’s largest producer of gloves, was listed on the Singapore stock market recently, allowing it access to further funds for expansion
Lim now controls almost 30% of the company, while his foreign shareholders own less than 30%. The Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Berhad highlights that the Singapore listing has finally broadened Top Gloves’s merger as well as acquisition plans. 6 AU G U ST 2 016
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Rubber Journal Asia Gloves
“…with pressure on margins, companies are working to curtail costs…”
automation sectors, which demand protection for staff using hazardous c h e m i c a l s , u n h ygienic s u b st a n c e s, a n d reac tives , is an tic ip ated t o k eep t h e f u t u r e o f t h e m arket robus t. Recent challenges faced by disposable cleanroom gloves ven with the positive projections, many ma n u f a c t u r i ng u nits h ave s hut their processes o v er t h e pa st f o ur to five years . When Safeskin M e di c a l a nd Scien tific , a unit of K imb er ly Cl ar k C o r po r a t ion bas ed in T hailand , c losed it s f a c i l i t y a n d di splac ed abou t 3,000 em p loy ees it s e n t sh o c k w a ves in th e c leanroom d is p osab le gl o ve s i n du st r y.
charge without causing any damage t o sensit ive t ools or machines used dur i n g t h e manufact uring process. The most po pul a r o n es are nit rile g loves t hat have a low elec t ro st a t i c volt ag e. Cust omisat ion is anot her area where disposable gloves market players are f o c u s i n g on. G iven t hat machinery is hig hly f l exi bl e and specialist s are involved in t he p ro d uc t i o n process, many companies are able to o f f e r b espok e product s t o serve requiremen t s i n t h e short est possib le durat ion. Besides, manufact urers are also b roa d en i n g t heir current consumer b ase, for exa mpl e, a s hard drive companies are becoming e x t i n c t , suppliers are now serving t he t echno l ogydriven industries that include the fl a t - p a n e l sector, solar panel, and display man u f a c t u r e r s . Business verticals such as the pharm a c e u t i c a l industry are also creating a greater d e m a n d for cleanroom gloves. Looking ahead, big brands anticip a t e h i g h e r y ields t his y ear, part icularly from hea l t h c a re cust omers b ased in t he US and Euro pe, w i t h t he Nort h American reg ion project ed t o enjoy t he st rong est g rowt h in 2016. W i t h n ew technologies adopted by prominent m a r k e t play ers, t he cleanroom g loves indust ry i s ready to experience a bright future i n a n o t h e r five to six years.
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Last year, Ansell announced further initiatives to drive performance improvement as part of its on-going strategic focus on operating efficiency
A n o t h e r g l o ve manufacturer, Australia-based A ns e l l , e n j o y s high s ales from its m ed ical g loves bu t a t t h e sa me tim e is c utting bac k bec ause o f a d e c l i n e i n sales of its gloves in the local m a r k e t . T h e c o mp any’ s p red ic tion th at a recent a c qu i si t i o n w o uld im p rove the s ales figure d i d n o t h a ve a pos itive effec t. Wh at’ s m ore a l ar m i n g i s t h e d ec lin e in s ales in A s ia Ansell’s gl o ve s b u si n e ss in A s ia Pac ific and c ount ries l i ke T u r k e y a n d Ru s s ia. T he s ud d en s lowdown i n m i n i n g o pe r a tions has als o d ec reas ed t he d e ma n d f o r o c cup ational gloves . A fter losing a b i g c h u n k o f i t s business, the company finally d e c i de d t o t r a n s fer its m anufac tu ring p lant offshore.
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Competitive landscape results in new technologies r e ssu r e o n margins is und oubted ly o n t he r i se . T h u s, man y c om p anies are work ing to c u r t a i l c o st s by in c reas ing the ec onomies of s c a l e , a u t o m a t i ng p roc es s es , and s tream lining t he co m pl e t e ma n u fac tu ring p roc es s . S o m e o f t h e new offerings from glove ma n u f a c t u r e r s in c lud e th os e with ex tremely low s u rf a c e r e si st a nc e, whic h help the elec tro st at ic
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