Medical Nitrile Gloves Market Analysis

Global Medical Nitrile Gloves Market Overview

Medical Nitrile Gloves Market Valued at USD 3.6 billion in 2023, projected to grow from USD 3.8 billion in 2024 to USD 6.59 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.50% during the forecast period (2024 - 2032).Increasing demand and shortage of medical nitrile gloves and  added benefits with better features as compared to other types of gloves are driving the market growth.

The medical nitrile gloves market report comprises a variety of products manufactured for various industries such as healthcare, food, sanitation, and others. The utility of medical nitrile gloves exponentially grew due to the ongoing COVID pandemic. The production of various types of gloves, namely latex, vinyl, and nitrile, made up of different materials, grew exponentially. The rising demand for the products along with the shortage of gloves, made up an opportunity for market entrants to launch products. The operational efficiency of manufacturers depends on the sourcing, manufacturing, and marketing of products. Ongoing technological advancements, government regulations, and consumer preferences affect the lucrativeness of the medical nitrile gloves market.

The market growth of the medical nitrile gloves is attributed to the rising incidences of acute and chronic diseases, increasing concerns about safety and sanitation, and the growing number of patients suffering from COVID-19. Other factors like rising cases of shortage of gloves and an increasing number of patients opting for surgical treatment are driving the market of medical nitrile gloves. Approval of novel products during the pandemic, rise in support from governmental agencies for co-production, and increasing awareness about the utility are some of the factors driving the market growth of the medical nitrile gloves.

However, increasing counterfeit products and disruption of the supply chain in certain regions is anticipated to hamper the market.

Increases in healthcare spending, the value placed on worker safety, and the public's knowledge of healthcare-associated infections all point to a bright future for the sector. Increasing consumer demand and a limited supply of gloves created a window of opportunity for new entrants to the market. Effective product procurement, production, and distribution are crucial to manufacturers' overall productivity. The lucrativeness of the market for medical nitrile gloves is influenced by factors such as ongoing technical breakthroughs, government restrictions, and consumer preferences.

Demand for these items is expected to increase during the forecast period as more people learn about the dangers of latex allergy. Nitrile gloves are anticipated to increase market growth because to their superior resistance to puncture and chemicals compared to vinyl and latex gloves.

increased rates of acute and chronic diseases, increased worries about safety and sanitation, and an increase in the number of patients with COVID-19 have all contributed to the expansion of the medical nitrile gloves industry. Demand for medical-grade nitrile gloves has increased in response to the rising number of COVID-19 cases around the world. Globally, the demand-supply gap for gloves is expected to expand due to supply restrictions such manufacturers' limited capacity, the lengthy time needed to start up new operations, and a lack of available workers. The market for medical nitrile gloves is growing because of increased instances of glove shortage and the rising number of patients electing to undergo surgical treatment. The market for medical nitrile gloves is expanding for a variety of reasons, including the approval of novel goods during the pandemic, rising support from government agencies for co-production, and rising knowledge of the utility.

April 2023,Armbrust American, a manufacturer of medical supplies, launched a new line of products: nitrile gloves created entirely in the United States. The explanation is elementary: the glove industry just doesn't have enough quality control. Made in Louisiana, Armbrust gloves range from food-grade industrial gloves to FDA-approved, chemo-rated gloves with a 510k clearance. They have sizes from XS to XXL. In the event of global supply chain disruptions, this growth will enable US consumers and hospitals continue to have access to premium gloves.

Medical Nitrile Gloves Market Trends

• Increasing Demand and Shortage Of Medical Nitrile Gloves

Further, In December 2019, a series of patients with pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, Hubei, and China. Although surgeons are not frontline health workers, several series of infections emerged from operating theaters. A research paper published in NCVI in July 2020 states that the median healthcare workers infection percentage among total cases was 10.04% (range 0–24.09%). Another article published in May 2020 mentioned that as of February 11, 2020, more than 1,700 healthcare workers have been infected in China. In Italy, 2,026 (9%) of the COVID-19 cases (as of March 15, 2020) occurred in healthcare workers. Most hospitals had to cancel or reduce nonurgent outpatient visits as part of their COVID-19 containment strategy. A recent survey from healthcare improvement company Premier Inc. (US) found the items in demand among hospitals surveyed were exam gloves, although, at the onset of the pandemic back in March, it was widely reported N95 masks were in the shortest supply. A survey of 905 hospitals found 40% had a shortage of nitrile exam gloves.

Get Us PPE (Washington, DC, US) was founded by emergency physicians in late March 2020 in response to urgent PPE shortages. The global demand for nitrile gloves has reached 585 billion this year, according to the Health Industry Distributors Association, but manufacturers are only able to produce 370 billion at current levels. Furthermore, the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) only has a low supply of gloves, in comparison to their supply targets. The Health and Human Services (HHS) wanted to store 4.5 billion gloves, but only had 179 million pairs of gloves in the SNS as of late November, according to White House reports. In late October, HHS estimated that the demand would soon increase to 104 billion gloves per year. The glove shortage expanded as a global issue when the glove supplier, Top Glove in Malaysia, announced, late November that it will be closing 16 locations due to a COVID-19 outbreak. More than 2,000 employees tested positive in their manufacturing sites, forcing the company to shut down 28 of its factories. Top Glove reports that they see their orders as high as 11 to 12 billion per month compared to about 4.5 billion prior to the pandemic. The rise in the shortage of nitrile gloves accompanied by a high demand is anticipated to increase the lucrativeness of the medical nitrile gloves market over the forecast period.

Medical Nitrile Gloves Market Segment Insights

Medical Nitrile Gloves Type Insights

The market segment of medical nitrile gloves, based on type, includes Non-Powdered, Powdered. The non-powdered medical nitrile gloves segment held the majority share in 2021 contribution to around ~65-67% in the medical nitrile gloves market revenue. This is due to the increasing demand for skin-friendly gloves. In addition, non-powdered gloves undergo a process known as chlorination. During the manufacturing process, non-powdered gloves are treated with chlorine solution after that they are rinsed with water and dried to get rid of the powdered residue and latex proteins. Non-powdered gloves are highly resistant to allergic reactions and other infections. The common advantage of these gloves includes versatility, chemical, oil and water resistance, reduced risk of contamination, skin friendly and high level of grip, and deftness for handling various medical procedures. Handsafe Nitrile Powder Free is example of non-powdered medical nitrile gloves.

Medical Nitrile Gloves Usage Insights

The medical nitrile gloves market segmentation, based on type, includes metal, polymer, and others. The metal segment dominated the market in 2021 and is projected to be the faster-growing segment during the forecast period, 2022-2030. This is due to the increasing preference for metal implants due to their high resistance to corrosion. Metal materials such as titanium alloys and stainless steel are extensively utilized metal implants in spine surgeries. Many healthcare professionals, including surgeons, doctors, and clinicians have an increasing preference for metal implants due to their high resistance to corrosion. Moreover, the use of metal implants entails considerably lower costs than polymers. Hence, rising applications of metal material implants for Medical Nitrile Gloves positively impacts the market growth.

Medical Nitrile Gloves Surgery Insights

The market of medical nitrile gloves data has been bifurcated by surgery into Disposable, Reusable. Disposable gloves are normally thinner than reusable gloves, which provides greater sensitivity and protection against mild irritants and chemicals, but normally cannot be used with hard chemicals. Moreover, Permatex is an example of disposable nitrile gloves, which are mainly made from 100% rubber, which provides greater resistance to different range of solvents and chemicals. Nitrile gloves is the best alternative in latex sensitivity. Permatex disposable gloves provide best protection against infection. Further, Reusable medical nitrile gloves are highly resistant to hard chemicals and hot water. They are designed to provide maximum strength and durability. Reusable gloves are thicker as compared to disposable gloves and also require cleaning after use, making them a less convenient than disposable gloves, which can be easily disposed after use. Some common examples of reusable medical nitrile gloves are Flockllined nitrile reusable gloves.

Figure 2: Medical nitrile gloves market, by Surgery, 2023 & 2030 (USD Billion)

Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review

Medical Nitrile Gloves Distribution Channel Insights

Based on distribution channel, the global Medical Nitrile Gloves industry has been segmented into Direct Selling, Medical Store. Direct selling accounted for a larger market share in 2020 due to the direct selling of medical nitrile gloves which reduced the involvement of intermediaries in product distribution, such as the regional distribution centers and wholesalers. Instead, the products were directly supplied from the manufacturer to the hospitals, clinics, and ambulatory surgical centers. Direct selling of medical nitrile gloves is related to part plan and network marketing companies. These companies use direct sales; they are not single players. Many medical nitrile glove manufacturers use direct selling to target and sell their products to end users. Direct selling is mainly three types:  single-level direct sales, host or party-plan sales, and multi-level marketing.

March 2023,American Nitrile, a small company that specializes in healthcare glove production, announced a partnership with The Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) to distribute domestically produced nitrile gloves to meet the growing demand for PPE and streamline distribution channels across the country. According to the Make PPE in America Act, which mandates that procurement contracts for PPE be long-term and for domestically manufactured PPE, the gloves have been approved by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) via an AbilityOne contract to employ people who are blind or have significant disabilities.

Medical Nitrile Gloves Regional Insights

By Region, the study segments the market into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. North America Medical Nitrile Gloves market accounted for USD 0.96 billion in 2021 and is expected to exhibit an 13.06% CAGR during the study period. The ~39% market share of the North America can be attributed to the large number of patients suffering from COVID-19, the high rate of surgical procedures, and the favorable import policies in the region. In addition, the unavailability of enough manufacturers in the region is anticipated to increase the lucrativeness of the market.

Furthermore, a spike in the number of COVID-19 patients was observed in September 2020 in 4 Canadian states: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. The country witnessed a sudden spike in the number of coronavirus cases, from 300 per day in August to a record high of 1,248 in September 2020. The increasing number of patients under clinical observation provided an impetus to market entrants and manufacturers operating in different industries to launch products and expand their product profile by entering agreements. Companies such as Med PPE Canada Inc., formed in March 2020, launched an international ordering system in November 2020. Its portfolio includes disposable masks, nitrile gloves, respirators, sanitizer, and more products.

Further, the major countries studied are: The U.S, Canada, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, and Brazil.

Figure 3: MEDICAL NITRILE GLOVES MARKET SHARE BY REGION 2023 (USD Billion)

Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review

Europe Medical Nitrile Gloves market accounts for the second-largest market share due to higher number of patients and the availability of treatment facilities in the region. Further, the Germany market of Medical Nitrile Gloves held the largest market share, and the UK market of Medical Nitrile Gloves was the fastest growing market in the European region.

The Asia-Pacific Medical Nitrile Gloves Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.91% from 2024 - 2030. This high growth is mainly attributed to the large-scale availability of raw materials, huge export of products from the region, shortage of exam gloves, and dependency of other countries for supplies from the region. Various other factors that influence the growth of the market include the growing cases of infections, the increasing availability of online pharmacies, and the growing number of healthcare professionals working with infectious diseases. Moreover, China market of Medical Nitrile Gloves held the largest market share, and the India market of Medical Nitrile Gloves was the fastest growing market in the Asia-Pacific region.

Medical Nitrile Gloves Key Market Players & Competitive Insights

The medical nitrile gloves market is characterized by the presence of many global, regional, and local vendors catering to the demand created by a large patient pool suffering from infectious diseases. The market is highly competitive, with players competing and collaborating to gain a substantial market share. Expansion into newer untapped markets, novel product launches, and decisions undertaken to achieve operational efficiency are key factors that aid market growth. Our analysis revealed that market players had adopted different strategies and innovative research & development techniques to expand their business and secure their position in the global nitrile gloves market. In recent years, collaborations by major players for product development and regional expansion into untapped markets have been used as a strategy to obtain operational efficiency.

The growth of market vendors is dependent on market conditions and industry development. Thus, vendors should focus on regional expansion and product improvement. It has also been predicted that improvement of the global economic scenario, combined with efforts to enhance infrastructure, can fuel market growth, making it an ideal time to launch new products and increase the global footprint. Therefore, manufacturers develop new products with refined features to increase favorability and stay ahead of their competitors.

Top Glove Corporation Berhad, a rubber gloves manufacturing company, held the first position in the medical nitrile gloves market in 2020. The company has a strong product portfolio in the market. It offers nitrile products in the product categories of medical. This prominent player held the first position owing to the expansion of its business across the globe. In April 2018, Top Glove Corp Bhd acquired Aspion Sdn Bhd. The Aspion acquisition added 3 manufacturing facilities with 75 lines and a production capacity of 4.77 billion pieces of glove per annum. Top Glove company is now operating a total of 37 factories with 618 production lines and a capacity of 57.24 billion pieces of glove per annum.

Kossan Rubber Industries Ltd. was the second-leading company in 2020 in the market of Medical Nitrile Gloves. It is a Malaysia-based company well-known for developing many nitrile gloves products. The company offers nitrile gloves under the OEM categories in the market. It focuses on organic and inorganic growth strategies to maintain its strong position in the global market. The company operates business through gloves, technical rubbers, and clean rooms segments.

Ansell Healthcare is one of the players in the market of Medical Nitrile Gloves. The company held the third-largest position in the global nitrile gloves market in 2020. It constitutes a strong distribution network and aims to capture maximum space in the market in the coming years by acquisitions. In March 2020, Ansell Health acquired 50% stake in the Malaysian rubber gloves maker, Careplus (M) Sdn. Bhd. The company invested 8.8 million, which strengthened the company’s gloves business

Key Companies in the Medical Nitrile Gloves market includes

• ANSELL HEALTHCARE LLC


• HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC


• TOP GLOVE CORPORATION


• DYNAREX CORPORATION


• SHIELD SCIENTIFIC


• KIMBERLY-CLARK


• MERCATOR MEDICAL S.A


• HARTALEGA HOLDINGS BERHAD


• SUPERMAX HEALTHCARE


• MCKESSON CORPORATION


• ATRIUM MEDICAL CARE


• KOSSAN RUBBER INDUSTRIES BHD


• 3M COMPANY


• MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, INC, among others

Medical Nitrile Gloves Industry Developments

March 2020: Ansell Health (US) acquired 50% stake in Malaysian rubber gloves maker Careplus (M) Sdn. Bhd. The company invested 8.8 million which provide strengthen company gloves business.

February 2020: Ansell Limited acquired 50 percent of the issued shares in Careplus (M) Sdn Bhd from Careplus Group Berhad for a total consideration of RM37 million (approx. US$ 9 million). Careplus is a Malaysian manufacturer of surgical as well as latex and nitrile powder-free examination gloves, with annual sales of RM157 million (approx. US$ 38 million).

January 2020: Medline Industries, Inc. acquired Médi-Sélect, a Quebec City-based medical and dental supplies distributor. This move will help the company improve its distribution network

Medical Nitrile Gloves Market Segmentation

Medical Nitrile Gloves Type Outlook

• NON-POWDERED


• POWDERED

Medical Nitrile Gloves Usage Outlook

• DISPOSABLE


• REUSABLE

Medical Nitrile Gloves Application Outlook

• EXAMINATION


• SURGICAL

Medical Nitrile Gloves Distribution Channel Outlook

• DIRECT SELLING


• MEDICAL STORE

Medical Nitrile Gloves End User Outlook

• HOSPITALS & CLINICS


• DIAGNOSTIC CENTERS


• AMBULATORY SURGICAL CENTERS (ASCS)


• REHABILITATION CENTERS


• OTHERS

Medical Nitrile Gloves Regional Outlook

• North America
  
  
  
  • US
  
  
  • Canada
  
  
  
  


• Europe
  
  
  
  • Germany
  
  
  • France
  
  
  • UK
  
  
  • Italy
  
  
  • Spain
  
  
  • Rest of Europe
  
  
  
  


• Asia-Pacific
  
  
  
  • China
  
  
  • Japan
  
  
  • India
  
  
  • Australia
  
  
  • South Korea
  
  
  • Australia
  
  
  • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  
  
  
  


• Rest of the World
  
  
  
  • Middle East
  
  
  • Africa
  
  
  • Latin America