MINSK, 19 October (BelTA) - Belarus plans to start producing medical gloves in December 2021, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said at a meeting hosted by the head of state on 19 October to discuss the situation with COVID-19 in Belarus, BelTA has learned.
Roman Golovchenko stressed that the expansion of personal protective equipment production in Belarus has brought its effect: the needs of the domestic market have been met almost in full.
However, there is still a goal to launch the production of latex gloves. Some $10 million has been allocated for the project, and it has already entered its final stage. “We plan to produce first medical gloves in December. All other PPE manufactures are working at their full capacities,” the prime minister said.
The latex glove production will be launched at SvetlogorskKhimvolokno company. The project envisages the launch of two lines with a capacity of at least 300,000 gloves per day each (about 200 million gloves annually). The project will be implemented in two stages: the first one - December 2021, the second one - July 2022. According to preliminary calculations, the new production will employ at least 115 specialists.
Malaysia boasts the main production of natural fiber medical latex gloves, accounting for up to 55% of the global market. Natural latex is extracted from Hevea brasiliensis tree. SvetlogorskKhimvolokno plans to produce medical examination and surgical disposable gloves from both acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and natural latex.
