American Nitrile builds most advanced U.S. manufacturing facility here
By Terry Troy
Some people know how to make lemonade from lemons. Others apply that principle to markets that emerge in time of crisis.
To help meet the surging demand for medical and non-medical latex-free nitrile gloves, American Nitrile, a newly launched Columbus-based company, is building the most advanced U.S. manufacturing facility dedicated to producing nitrile gloves for healthcare, government and industrial use. Production at the 527,000-square-foot industrial facility in Grove City, a southwest suburb of Columbus, is expected to begin early next year, creating 400 new jobs.
“American Nitrile is fulfilling a critical and rapidly growing need for medical and non-medical nitrile gloves made in the United States, while reducing our country’s vulnerability to the supply chain disruptions experienced during the pandemic. COVID-19 was a catalyst, but demand for nitrile gloves extends far beyond immediate needs,” said Jacob Block, founder and chief executive officer of American Nitrile.
“American Nitrile’s launch of its new manufacturing facility in Columbus is an example of enterprising Ohioans seizing the unprecedented opportunity to on-shore PPE production and rebuild the U.S. supply chain here at home,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. “This cutting-edge facility will create hundreds of new advanced manufacturing jobs and produce essential medical gloves stateside with homegrown Ohio talent.” “Our research shows that demand for nitrile gloves will continue to grow post-COVID-19 not only in healthcare but also in hospitality, retail and other sectors. We have multi-year customer contracts in place and look forward to being the supplier of choice for healthcare, government and industrial,” Block said.
Demand for surgical gloves continues to grow. By material, the global medical nitrile gloves market dominates with 54.6% market share, primarily due to its increased usage in medical applications, according to a report by Research and Markets. The global nitrile gloves market was valued at $5 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.1% through 2027 reaching $9.4 billion, according to a report from Grand View Research.
Nitrile is made from Nitrile Butadiene Rubber, a synthetic substance with an allergy-safe compound and similar feel to latex. Nitrile gloves are more cost-effective, provide superior comfort, and are up to three times more puncture-resistant than latex gloves.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased global glove demand, resulting in critical shortages. U.S. medical facilities and businesses across industries are dependent on foreign suppliers. Most glove manufacturing occurs in Malaysia with other suppliers based in the Asia Pacific region. Less than one percent of U.S. demand for nitrile gloves is produced domestically according to Industry Week. To streamline and kickstart production, American Nitrile has secured an exclusive North America partnership with Luster Industries (LTER.KL), a publicly listed, global industry leading OEM with responsibility for sourcing, manufacturing, installing, and maintaining the product lines. American Nitrile has strong partner relationships in place for sourcing raw materials and other production requirements.
American Nitrile’s manufacturing facility will leverage Industry 4.0 principles, including machine-to-machine communication, to increase automation and self-diagnosis. In addition to reducing carbon footprint by eliminating the need for transpacific vessels for shipping, the American Nitrile facility will also employ sustainable manufacturing processes that will revolutionize industry sustainability standards, including a state-of-the-art water reclamation process that recycles 50% of wastewater.
