Have you ever had questions about which disposable gloves match your needs? Although the topic may seem mundane, single-use gloves are a lot more nuanced than many people think.
In a business that has become largely transactional, AMMEX has systems and processes in place to make sure your questions are answered and your needs fulfilled—by actual humans.
The three primary variables that have an often outsized impact on the single-use glove market are production, international logistics, and U.S. market conditions. Within those variables are a number of sub-variables that can move in opposite directions and in different timelines.
Production happens primarily in Southeast Asia, where up to 80% of single-use gloves are made. The biggest glove-making countries are Malaysia and Thailand—which have dominated the glove trade for years—Vietnam, and Indonesia. China is also a growing player in the global market.
We frequently hear from customers who say they bought gloves from another vendor at a low price, but they can’t find that deal again. In fact, that vendor can’t seem to source the glove at all.
If you’re an industrial distributor, you’ve likely come across vendors who can’t be trusted to consistently deliver what you need at a price that works for you. Sure, it’s nice to save a few bucks here or there on a case of gloves, but can you count on that arrangement to hold up over time?
Latex allergies get a lot of attention, especially in the disposable glove business. An important part of finding “the right glove for the job” is determining whether the person wearing said glove is allergic to natural rubber latex proteins, and recommending substitutes if necessary.
In truth, such allergies are rare. They affect approximately 1 percent of the general population and 8 to 12 percent of healthcare workers. (Latex allergies become more prevalent in people who are exposed to the material regularly, and most medical-grade gloves are made from latex.)
Why do prices of disposable gloves vary so much between products, and between those who sell them?
Why does inventory come and go? (Those hybrid vinyl/nitrile gloves that you may have loved during the pandemic are much harder to find now.)
Distributors who’ve been selling disposable gloves for a while understand the quirks of the market. To a distributor who’s new to the business, though, starting a profitable glove-selling program might seem a bit daunting.
We frequently get questions about getting started. What follows are the top 3:
For the last couple years, nitrile industrial-grade disposable gloves have not always been easy to come by.
With the onset of the pandemic, manufacturers were forced to ramp up production quickly. They turned their immediate focus to exam-grade product to meet the overwhelming need in medical applications. For industrial nitrile, prices went up and availability went down.
For the first time in two years, the coronavirus is not the No. 1 issue affecting global markets. Instead, oil prices—and the war in Ukraine—have become the top disruptors slowing trade and driving up costs.
That doesn’t mean COVID is going away just yet. Governments have been lifting restrictions imposed to slow its spread, including rules governing travel, socializing, mask wearing, and self-isolation. But still it lingers, and in some countries it is thriving.
Here’s a 2022 trend that’s worth sharing: We’re seeing more and more customers who love Gloveworks Industrial Black Nitrile gloves taking a step up to Gloveworks with Raised Diamond Texture (RDT).
Those black nitrile gloves (product code: GPNB) have for years been a mainstay of AMMEX’s product line. At 5 mils thick, they deliver all the barrier protection customers need for a variety of chemicals while also featuring the best traits nitrile has to offer (excellent fit and feel, puncture resistance, tactile sensitivity).
If you sell disposable gloves for a living, you should be excited about the return of Gloveworks Nitrile with Raised Diamond Texture (RDT). They present an awesome opportunity for distributors because they drive more revenue than standard gloves.
Our top-of-the-line gloves—a favorite with end-users for the better part of a decade—were largely out of stock for the last two years because of supply complications from COVID-19.
