Now that 2024 has arrived, we’re a year further from the pandemic. Multiple trends are continuing to impact glove market conditions, from pricing of NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber) and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) to logistics, energy, and coal prices.
Overall, disposable glove use in the United States continues the upward trajectory it has been on since the 1980s. The market is projected to experience healthy growth throughout the next decade, again proving to be an excellent business opportunity.
If you work with heavy machinery or use tools all day on the job, there is a significant risk to your hands from sharp edges, abrasive surfaces, chemicals, and other potentially harmful objects or substances.
When it comes to hand protection for hazardous environments, you want Gloveworks Nitrile with Raised Diamond Texture (RDT) on your side. These gloves stand up to the rigors of tools and machinery while also delivering dexterity, durability, and—maybe best of all—comfort.
In the food service market, price can be an outsized factor for single-use gloves. With a lot of eateries operating on razor-thin margins, operators often must be frugal.
At the same time, safety and hygiene are paramount when working with food. That makes disposable gloves much more than simple accessories—they are vital tools in preventing contamination and ensuring the safety of both staff and customers (and, ultimately, the business).
Costs of doing business in the disposable glove market seem to be leveling off after several years of big swings. United Parcel Service and the Teamsters reached a deal to avoid a strike by getting the raises the drivers wanted. Thus, higher labor costs will likely affect the price of most goods they transport.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union and Pacific Maritime Association also forged their own deal after months of labor strife; you can expect that agreement to eventually factor into product costs as well.
The push is on to return workers to offices across the country. Both commercial and government entities are exerting pressure to persuade currently remote employees to come in from the field, at least three days a week and in many cases full-time.
That puts janitorial and sanitation workers in the spotlight once again. Offices that have sat vacant since the pandemic first spread in 2020 again will have to be regularly cleaned and sanitized.
Of all the hands AMMEX has protected across countless industries during its 35 years in business, automotive service and repair is where we thrive.
Our nitrile disposable gloves set the industry standard well more than a decade ago. Since then we have become the leading independent distributor of single-use gloves in North America. Our Gloveworks brand is synonymous with top-quality hand protection, and our service is renowned for helping customers find the right glove for the job, every time.
Most customer-facing employees working for any industrial distributor—no matter how knowledgeable they are—are likely not as successful at selling disposable gloves. That’s no knock on anybody, just the truth that accompanies an unusual product.
Why? Because gloves are a strange commodity: Practically every business uses them, but sales reps who truly understand the nuances of the product or the market are few and far between.
There is nothing worse than when you and your customers are waiting on products. Not only is it aggravating and heartburn-inducing, but it also can damage your business relationships.
Don’t put yourself through the headaches of wondering when your shipments are going to arrive. If you use vendors that are not well-connected with a network of factories, it can cause problems for keeping your customers supplied.
Domestic transportation prices—another important variable in the overall cost of single-use gloves—spiked during the pandemic. They have been dropping, but are unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels due to the cost of labor and the general impact of inflation and higher interest rates.
Most companies that need warehousing to store imported products, such as disposable gloves, have seen significant price increases over the past two to three years. Even as supply chain inflation slows, warehouse rates are high because there is a lot of inventory, which leaves less space for new product.
If there’s a thread that runs throughout AMMEX’s 35-year history, it’s commitment to customers.
Ever since 24-year-old Fred Crosetto started this company in 1988—and at first sold gloves out of the trunk of his car as he built his brand—AMMEX’s focus has been on delivering what customers need, as well as helping them grow their glove sales.
