• Disposable Medical Gloves are used during medical examinations and procedures to help avoid cross-contamination between healthcare providers and patients. Medical gloves are made of different materials including natural rubber, nitrile, latex, polyvinyl chloride, and neoprene. They come non-powdered or powdered to lubricate the gloves, making them easier to put on. Besides medicine, medical gloves are widely used in chemical and biochemical laboratories. Medical gloves offer some basic protection against corrosives and surface contamination.
Market Dynamics
• The global market for the Disposable Medical Gloves Market is primarily driven by growing awareness for safety and hygiene, increasing number of end users in the healthcare industry coupled with the novel manufacturing technologies for making gloves rupture- resistant, temperature-resistant, and introduction of various materials for manufacturing disposable gloves. Moreover, the increasing number of pandemic diseases and surgical procedures around the world are expected to boost the disposable medical gloves market. According to WHO in 2017, the annual epidemics in seasonal influenza globally estimated that 3-5 million cases of severe illness and about 290,000-600,000 respiratory deaths are observed. According to WHO in 2017, there were 110 000 measles deaths globally, mostly among children under the age of five. According to WHO in 2017, it is estimated that 219 million cases of malaria occurred globally, out of which 90% corresponds to the WHO's African region. Additionally, untapped or developing economies are expected to create lucrative opportunities for disposable glove manufacturers.
• However, the high price competition, fluctuating raw material prices, and toxic reaction to certain glove types may hinder market progress.
• By Type, the Global Disposable Medical Gloves market is segmented into Natural Rubber Gloves, Nitrile Gloves, Vinyl Gloves, Neoprene, Polyethylene, and others. Natural rubber gloves (latex gloves) holds the most substantial market share owing to broader availability and its ease of use. These gloves are more elastic than other types such as nitrile glove and are excellent barrier protection against infection and contamination while providing superior chemical resistance. However, latex can cause an allergic reaction, which usually takes the form of skin irritation, and may hinder its market growth. Polyethylene gloves share the fastest growing section owing to the various advantages offered by material such as cost-efficient and are readily available.
• By Application, the Global Disposable Medical Gloves market is bifurcated into examination and surgical. Examination gloves hold the most significant market share owing to its wide range of applications such as a general medical exam, first response, emergency medical services, and laboratory application. However, surgical gloves are made to a higher standard than examination gloves, having a better precision and sensitivity with more precise sizing. Examination gloves are available as either sterile or non-sterile, while surgical gloves are always sterile.
• By Form, the Global Disposable Medical Gloves market is bifurcated into non-powdered and powdered. Non-powdered medical gloves dominate the market share as in December 2016, FDA passed a rule banning all powdered gloves intended for medical use on account of potential side effects such as inflammatory reactions, granuloma and scar formation from the powder. Healthcare systems in Germany and the UK have also imposed a ban on these products.
• North America dominants the market share of the global Disposable Medical Gloves market. It is primarily attributed to its broad base of the patient population, increase in adoption of disposable medical gloves, its established healthcare infrastructure and higher investment in R&D activities contribute to the growth of North America’s share. For instance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 51 million inpatient surgical procedures were performed in the United States yearly. According to the CDC, in 2016, the number of HIV diagnoses in the US was 39,782 people. The number of new hepatitis B cases was 3,218 people, and the number of new tuberculosis cases was 9,272.
• Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing market during the forecast period, owing to the prevalence of various infectious diseases. Other factors likely to present significant opportunities are the region’s rapidly improving healthcare infrastructure and the presence of a broad base of the target population. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018, 34,100 cases of infectious diseases were imported to mainland China during the period 2005-2016.
• Key players are adopting strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and regional expansion to stand out as strong competitors in the market. New product launches and increasing R&D are other ways the leading players improve their market presence.
• In March 2019, Ansell Limited launched MICROFLEX MidKnight XTRA, a nitrile exam glove that has been tested against both fentanyl and gastric acid to simulate real-world overdose situations. The glove features an elongated cuff for added coverage of the wrist and forearm and has a distinctive black color that allows wearers to see potentially hazardous powders on hands easily.
• In May 2019, Ansell Limite invested USD 32 million over the next two years to expand its Lat Krabang, Thailand manufacturing facility. The expansion allows the Company to increase plant capacity by 30% to address the growing global demand for Ansell chemical protection platform products.
• In April 2018, Top Glove Corp. completed the acquisition of Aspion Sdn Bhd, making it the world’s largest surgical glove manufacturer. The Aspion acquisition added three manufacturing facilities with 75 lines and a capacity of 4.77 billion pieces of gloves per annum, which will see Top Glove now operating a total of 37 factories with 618 production lines and a capacity of 57.24 billion pieces of gloves per annum.
• In May 2018, Aurelia Gloves launched a new heavy-duty nitrile glove made for emergency medical, automotive, and manufacturing applications. Ignite gloves expand the Aurelia offering in the EMS category.
• In October 2016, Cardinal Health, expanded its powder-free gloves product line to Hong Kong while further penetrating the disposable drapes and gowns segment as part of its expansion in Asia.
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