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.
When it comes to the disposable glove market, demand planning—pricing and inventory—is the focus of most conversations. We understand why: Clients want to know when it will return to a predictable state, similar to four or five years ago.
The disposable glove market was consistent for almost a decade, with stable prices and predictable growth, leading up to 2020. The key variables that shape it (production, logistics, distribution, etc.) had been well-optimized.
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.
KENT, Washington, April 1, 2023—Today, AMMEX Corp. launched a new lineup of disposable gloves that will help you protect you in the most unusual situations. These gloves are the result of a research and development project spanning 35 years. They will protect you in environments ranging from the office to the garage to outer space.
“These gloves are unlike anything else on the market,” says AMMEX Chief Marketing Officer Andre Chernih. “They will revolutionize the way people view and use disposable gloves.
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?
We often have conversations about this question with customers and partners, and while the precise answer may vary, we aim to keep it simple: We help our customers buy the right disposable glove for the job. And we effectively reduce risk with expert services and tools.
Since the company’s founding in 1988—yes, in March we’re coming up on 35 years in business—we’ve been helping our clients with all aspects of global procurement, supply chain, and operations to ensure quality and efficiency in the single-use glove market.
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Most distributor partners of AMMEX count disposable gloves as only a small percentage of their overall business. That figure is between 2% and 5%, depending on which industry they’re servicing.
That may not seem like much emphasis. But in truth, success is less about how much significance you attach to the percentage of gloves in your overall catalog. What really matters is market penetration and the percentage of overall glove spend you’ve captured within your customer base, says Corey Townsell, vice president of sales at AMMEX.
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.)
Vinyl gloves are the workhorses of the disposable glove world. They may not be sexy, but they get the job done.
If your glove customers are cost conscious above all, vinyl should be your first recommendation. There are three industries in which they are a perfect fit under most circumstances.
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.
