US Medical Glove Company (USMGC), which is the only American manufacturer of the machines, components, and chemicals necessary to make nitrile and polyisoprene gloves in the US, has announced the acquisition of a domestic polyisoprene chemical facility in South Carolina.
The acquisition makes USMGC the only end-to-end, American manufacturer of both nitrile and polyisoprene gloves. Additional details about the acquisition have not been disclosed.
Alongside the acquisition, USMGC launched an independent division to oversee the production of raw nitrile and polyisoprene, crucial ingredients in both surgical and medical exam gloves. The new division is US Medical Chemical Company (USMCC), which will exclusively supply USMGC with the raw materials required to manufacture a suite of personal protective equipment (PPE) to fulfill contracts across the US government, including agencies such as the US Army, FEMA, US Customs and Border Protection, and USPS.
“The PPE shortages prevalent through the pandemic proved how critical American control of the supply chain was in safeguarding American health and security,” said Alex Todoroki of USMGC. “By adding this facility to our portfolio, USMGC has now secured the raw supplies, advanced machinery, and 30+ production lines to manufacture 2.5 billion nitrile and polyisoprene surgical gloves by the end of 2024. We are incredibly proud that our entire supply chain is 100% made in America.”
At the 100,000-sq-ft, 22-acre chemical plant, USMCC manufactures 3.2 million dry pounds of polyisoprene annually, which yields 60 million polyisoprene surgical gloves. These sterile surgical gloves are used in operating rooms, surgery theatres, and other venues across the healthcare industry for their tactile sensitivity, puncture-resistance, and certified protection from over 24 chemotherapy drugs.
Polyisoprene also has an almost identical chemical structure as latex, making these gloves a safe alternative to the allergens found in latex.
In addition to the manufacturing of NBR/nitrile and polyisoprene, the new USMCC facility also houses chemists, engineers, and technicians who oversee advanced machine manufacturing that includes all components of dipping lines, stainless tanks, control panels, and stripping and layering machines.
To maintain the high-quality standards the plant achieved for over 25 years, much of the facility’s former team continue to hold key positions at USMCC. This includes roles in Quality Assurance, a team that rigorously tests and inspects surgical exam gloves, which undergo final sterilisations before being packed and shipped across America and to allies in strategic locations abroad.