Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • European Rubber Journal
  • Plastics News
  • Tire Business
web
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Automotive
    • Tire
    • Non-Tire
    • Suppliers
    • Silicone
    • Latex
    • Coronavirus
    • Executive Action
    • Government/Legal
    • Opinion
    • Technical Notebooks
    • Women in Tire & Rubber
    • ITEC
    • International Elastomer Show
    • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Sentury's 10-year global expansion strategy will include plants in North America, Europe
      Michelin, BFG, Uniroyal tire prices to increase again
      King Machine to invest $2.6 million in South Carolina plant expansion
      Bridgestone celebrating 90 years as a business in 2021
    • Sentury's 10-year global expansion strategy will include plants in North America, Europe
      Michelin, BFG, Uniroyal tire prices to increase again
      King Machine to invest $2.6 million in South Carolina plant expansion
      PQ Group Holdings sells Performance Chemicals segment for $1.1 billion
    • ARPM readies for 2021 Environmental Health and Safety Summit
      Continental invests in AI company
      To boost U.S. microchip production, Biden administration must find supply chains weaknesses
      USTMA, NAM among associations backing passage of Equality Act
    • New Products: Mahr Inc. introduces MarForm MMQ 500 Form Tester
      Parker hose business honors Beaver Manufacturing with supplier award
      PQ Group Holdings sells Performance Chemicals segment for $1.1 billion
      Sibur set to launch production at new halobutyl rubber facility
    • Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
      Hexpol, Bloom deal with COVID, reorganization, fire since start of 2020
      Small, mid-size compounders keep value, agility, service 'in the mix'
    • Ohio firm focuses on making better masks in U.S.
      U.S. to increase NBR, make gloves using Defense Production Act
      Tire Cologne canceled; rescheduled for 2022
      Tire Technology Expo canceled for 2021
    • Davis-Standard promotes Andrew Alaya to aftermarket sales role
      Harwick Standard adds Flores to West Coast sales team
      GM promotes Siemen to lead sustainability; Parker to retire
      9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
    • To boost U.S. microchip production, Biden administration must find supply chains weaknesses
      TIA among associations against increase to minimum wage
      9 Goodyear-Cooper Tire stories you may have missed
      Cooper recalling 430,000+ whitewall LT tires in multiple brands
    • Column: Discussions of race, equality may mean uncomfortable moments
      Column: Business trips possible because of essential workers
      Editorial: Associations see opportunity for progress under new administration
      Editorial: Against a backdrop of turmoil, M&A deals give glimpse of normalcy
    • Studying RPA ASTM methods for detecting compound quality differences
      Damage mechanism in oil and gas formulations during downhole testing
      Advancements in synchronous drive belt design for industrial and consumer markets
      Effects of multiple repurposed materials for reinforcements of standard rubber compounds
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      New video celebrates women in rubber industry
      ITEC panelists say women can thrive in tire industry
    • Goodyear recognized by Lockheed Martin as 'elite supplier'
      EV tire advancements to help secure future
      Lambillotte: Only question on AVs is timing
      CAR official says EV future brighter than autonomous
    • Rubber Division introduces WORD webinar series
      Rubber Division seeks abstracts for 200th Technical Meeting
      WORD panelists say evolution, authenticity keys to success
      IEC keynote: Communication key to logistics
    • Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Faster Access to Your Polymer Compounding Experts Around the World
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Take a walk thru a HEXPOL Lab
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      HEXPOL offers a unique selection of High Performance Elastomers to match your application requirements
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      It’s what you can’t see that makes the Difference at HEXPOL
  • Blogs
    • Products
    • Wacky World of Rubber
    • New Products: Mahr Inc. introduces MarForm MMQ 500 Form Tester
      New Products: Starrett expands field-of-view for multi-sensor vision system
      New Products: Nova thinks outside the box with sealing tech
      New Products: MonTech introduces 1,500 kN lab press
    • Wacky World of Rubber: How Trelleborg, teens sealed a spot in the world record book
      Wacky World of Rubber: Of chicken and feet, but not chicken feet
      Wacky World of Rubber: Time to go mattress shopping
      Wacky World of Rubber: Because nothing says football like 'frunk' shrimp
  • Newsletters
    • Rubber in Automotive
    • Silicone News
    • Latex News
    • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Sentury's 10-year global expansion strategy will include plants in North America, Europe
      Michelin, BFG, Uniroyal tire prices to increase again
      King Machine to invest $2.6 million in South Carolina plant expansion
      Bridgestone celebrating 90 years as a business in 2021
    • Stockwell Elastomerics' legacy moves on
      Larger mixers tout economies of scale, along with the need for speed
      Hexpol, Bloom deal with COVID, reorganization, fire since start of 2020
      Small, mid-size compounders keep value, agility, service 'in the mix'
    • Sri Trang Gloves starts major capacity expansion
      Synthomer dismisses takeover reports
      Combined Goodyear-Cooper Tire company has tire technology, sustainability edge
      Helixtap launches new digital marketplace for rubber
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Directory
  • Resources
    • Classifieds & Mold Mart
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • HB Chemical
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The HB Chemical and Ravago Partnership: Taking Customer Service to a New Level
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      Above and Beyond with HB Chemical
      Sponsored By HB Chemical
      The Company Behind the Inventory
      Sponsored By French Oil Mill Machinery
      Process Improvement, Cost Reduction with Custom Press Systems
    • Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Labs of the Future: How to Choose a Laboratory Information Management System in 2021
      Sponsored By Uncountable Inc.
      Cooper Standard deploys lab informatics platform to synchronize R&D
      Sponsored By Elkem
      LSR Selectâ„¢: A solution to improve your financial impact in molding applications
      Sponsored By HEXPOL Compounding
      Peroxide Cureable Silicone Injection Molding
  • Data
  • Events
    • RPN Events
    • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
    • Industry Events
    • Past Events
    • ITEC Library
    • International Silicone Conference Library
    • 2021 Healthcare Elastomers Virtual Edition
      2021 Rubber in Automotive Virtual Edition
      2021 International Latex Conference Virtual Edition
      2022 ITEC
  • Advertise
  • DIGITAL EDITION
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Non-Tire
November 18, 2020 04:02 PM

U.S. firms ramping up nitrile glove production

Jim Johnson
Rubber & Plastics News Staff
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Renco Corp.
    Renco Corp. nitrile accordion sleeves.

    COLEBROOK, N.H.—COVID-19 has spurred unprecedented demand for disposable gloves around the globe and has put a focus on the U.S.'s ability to meet its own needs as the virus continues.

    And when Richard Renehan received a call earlier this year from someone in China wanting to buy out his company's complete production of nitrile gloves, he knew he had to jump into action. The CEO of Renco Corp. saw both a need and a business opportunity unfolding.

    As far as glove makers go, Renco is not a huge operation in Colebrook, but plans are not to get much bigger very quickly to help satisfy the domestic demand for gloves amid the pandemic.

    Renehan for years has been championing a made-in-America message just because it's in the country's best interest not to be so reliant on imports. When it comes to gloves, where more than 90 percent of the world's production takes place in Asia, imports dominate the market.

    Renco, in its own little way, is out to change that a bit.

    "I'm not a big anti-China (person). We are all the same. We've all got to do our work and everyone has to have a job. It doesn't matter where they are in the world. But there are hugely anti-competitive practices there. I think the world is aware of that. And there is (anti-competitive practices) everywhere. So don't get me wrong on that, either," Renehan said.

    "But the point is they did call and ask to buy all of our capacity. I did call DoD (Department of Defense) and said this is a problem. We need to take this seriously," he remembered.

    Renehan called anyone he could think of in the federal government, talked about the need to expand domestic production and sought contracts that would allow his company to provide more domestic supply. When news came this summer that the DoD awarded his company a $22 million contract, the door opened for Renco to dramatically expand.

    Not only is the company improving existing manufacturing lines, it's adding about 95,000 square feet of space to install two new high-speed lines. They each will measure about 450 feet in length.

    The goal is to increase production by about 20 times between the two efforts to about 500 million gloves per year. Ultimately, the CEO said the company could have the ability to produce about 1.2 million gloves per year out of the New Hampshire facility with further expansion.

    But Renehan also sees potential beyond the Colebrook site, which operates as American Performance Polymers L.L.C., and hopes to one day expand to other locations in the U.S.

    Newly formed U.S. Medical Glove Co. plans to open a glove facility in Kentucky.

    Renco expects to produce gloves on the new lines by next summer while incrementally improving existing production.

    Increased production and the installation of new lines brings the opportunity to hire more workers.

    Renco has gone from about 10 workers at the beginning of this year, before COVID-19 really hit the U.S., to about 110 workers these days.

    "Also, we had to hire some welders and machinists to support the build out of our traditional lines. They are augmenting capacity pretty much on a monthly basis. It's getting better as we go along," Renehan said. "The goal is 20 times (growth). We were pretty small. But we are tracking toward a good size right now."

    Renco, meanwhile, is not the only company that sees opportunity in the nitrile glove making business.

    A newly formed company, U.S. Medical Glove Co. L.L.C. has revealed plans to create 192 jobs in Paris, Ky., to make medical grade products.

    The $32.5 million project expects to be operational sometime during the first half of next year with annual production of more than 1 billion gloves annually.

    Initial employment will include 45 computer technicians followed by initial staff as production lines are installed. Latex-based nitrile from Zeon Chemicals in Louisville will be used to make the new Liberty Gloves brand.

    Retired Maj. Gen. Michael Davidson, as CEO of U.S. Medical Glove, is looking to not only increase the supply of domestically produced gloves for the U.S., but provide veterans with employment opportunities.

    "This plant is part of returning critical product manufacturing to the United States," Davidson, retired from the Kentucky Army National Guard, said in a statement. "Our hiring of veterans is a big part of that. They bring the values and skills they learned in their military service. We describe Liberty Gloves as made for America by Americans."

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Rubber & Plastics News wants to hear from its readers. If you want to express your opinion on a story or issue, email your letter to Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].

    SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Rubber & Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe Today

    Subscribe to Rubber & Plastics News to get the best coverage and leading insights in the industry.

    SUBSCRIBE
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    MISSION

    To serve companies in the global rubber product industry by delivering news, industry insights, opinions and technical information.

    web
    Contact Us

    2291 Riverfront Pkwy, Suite 1000
    Cuyahoga Falls,
    OH 44221

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1726

    Resources
    • About Us
    • Digital Edition
    • Contact the Staff
    • Advertise
    • Order Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    • Terms of Service
    • Careers
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Partner Sites
    • Tire Business
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Automotive News
    • Crain Brands
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Automotive
      • Tire
      • Non-Tire
      • Suppliers
      • Silicone
      • Latex
      • Coronavirus
      • Executive Action
      • Government/Legal
      • Opinion
      • Technical Notebooks
      • Women in Tire & Rubber
      • ITEC
      • International Elastomer Show
      • HEXPOL Sponsored Content
    • Blogs
      • Products
      • Wacky World of Rubber
    • Newsletters
      • Rubber in Automotive
      • Silicone News
      • Latex News
      • Sign Up for Newsletters
    • Multimedia
      • Videos
      • Photo Galleries
    • Directory
    • Resources
      • Classifieds & Mold Mart
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Data
    • Events
      • RPN Events
      • RPN Livestreams/Webinars
      • Industry Events
      • Past Events
      • ITEC Library
      • International Silicone Conference Library
    • Advertise
    • DIGITAL EDITION