Health Supply US to bring $150 million nitrile glove operation to S.C.

GRGREENVILLE, S.C.—Government contracting and medical supply company Health Supply US L.L.C. will invest $150 million for a new nitrile glove manufacturing facility that it believes will play a key role in the production of U.S.-made personal protective equipment.

The company—which identifies, sources and delivers PPE for health care systems and federal, state and local governments—plans to establish the new facility, dubbed its "Glove One" operation, in Greeneville, S.C., where it will create 600 new jobs over the next five years, according to a June 6 press release.

Located adjacent to the Beechtree Business Park, the new facility is slated for completion by January 2024, the Mooresville, N.C.-based PPE manufacturer said. It anticipates the production of 4.3 billion nitrile gloves per year. And company officials boast the ability to triple production in the future.

"Health Supply US is dedicated to bringing critical medical supply chains back to the United States," CEO Christopher Garcia said in a statement. "Nitrile gloves are a vitally needed medical item that keep our frontline health care professionals and first responders safe, an item that we simply cannot rely completely on international markets for our domestic supply in the future."

According to its website, Health Supply US considers the reshoring of medical supplies, especially nitrile gloves, a matter of national security.

"We embarked on this critical project on behalf of our nation, and in doing so, knew that manufacturing site selection was of paramount importance to operational longevity," Vice President Aaron Petrosky said. "Greenville and the entire state of South Carolina displayed tremendous enthusiasm for life sciences and support for this medical device operation."

The South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project, according to the press release, and awarded a $300,000 Set-Aside grant to Greenville County to assist with the costs of site preparation and building construction.

The company said local hiring for the Glove One L.L.C. team will begin in 2022.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said the company's investment is proof that the state's efforts to recruit life sciences companies are "paying off."

"Expanding our life sciences industry is critical to safeguarding our supply chain and ensuring life-saving medical supplies are readily available during future emergencies," he said, adding that he looks forward to the impact the company will have statewide.

"Not just a win for South Carolina," Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III said, "Health Supply US' new Glove One operation is a win for the medical supply chain across all of the U.S."