BRUSSELS, July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Ansell Healthcare, a world leader in barrier protection products, announces that the continuing escalating cost of natural rubber latex (over 120% in the past 18 months) has led it to increase its sales prices of surgical and exam gloves. This is necessary because latex is a key component of most medical gloves. It for example constitutes about half the cost of manufacturing a NRL (natural rubber latex) exam glove. Ansell has managed to avoid passing on price increases to the customer over the past years by implementing manufacturing efficiencies and fuel savings.
"Ansell has implemented cost savings measures in manufacturing facilities and worked with suppliers to reduce the effect of price pressure," according to Holger Fürstenberg, Marketing Director, Ansell Professional Healthcare Europe.
In order to offset these additional price increases, Ansell has decided to increase selling prices of NRL products. Since the beginning of 2005, latex prices have gone up by 120 %. Prices have increased by 35% in the past month alone. Increasing market demand, especially from China, and adverse weather in rubber-producing countries has pushed world natural rubber prices to an all-time high over the past few months. The costs involved in the production of latex and synthetic gloves are invariably linked to the price of oil and related freight transport costs, which have also been rising steadily in the past months. The soaring latex price is affecting the manufacturing cost of many rubber products, including protective gloves.
Ansell management is continuously monitoring trends in the cost of raw materials and is exploring all potential routes for delaying or otherwise countering any future increases in the cost of raw materials. With a view to offering its customers the best products and the best service, Ansell is communicating with its clients and distributors regarding all major developments impacting the price of its products.
About Ansell:
Ansell Limited is a global leader in barrier protective products. With operations in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, Ansell employs more than 11, 000 people worldwide and holds leading positions in the natural latex and synthetic polymer glove and condom markets. Ansell operates in three main business segments: Occupational Healthcare, supplying hand protection to the industrial market; Professional Healthcare, supplying surgical and examination gloves to healthcare professionals; and Consumer Healthcare, supplying condoms and consumer hand protection. Information on Ansell and its products can be found at http://www.anselleurope.com.
For more information about Ansell or Ansell products, please contact: Wouter Piepers, Communications Director EMEA, tel: +32-2-528-75-68, cellular: +32-478-33-56-32, email: wpiepers@eu.ansell.com
