FAYETTE, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SHOWA Group, a fully integrated manufacturer of industrial, household and medical PPE gloves, today announced a major facility expansion that will triple production capacity to meet growing government and industrial demand for “Made in America” PPE gloves. The phased buildout of two additional facilities will increase SHOWA’s annual domestic production capacity to 1.2 billion gloves by the end of 2022, and 2.8 billion gloves once the buildout is complete.
While the U.S. relied heavily on overseas PPE suppliers pre-pandemic, COVID-19 exposed supply chain vulnerabilities and a critical need to increase domestic production capacity of nitrile gloves. As the only integrated manufacturer of nitrile, single-use PPE gloves with full U.S. onshore capabilities, SHOWA announced today it has also received contracts from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) totaling $81.3 million to help drive this expansion through the funded buildout of two additional Fayette, Alabama PPE glove manufacturing facilities.
“SHOWA has operated as a profitable PPE glove manufacturer with roots in the U.S. going back 50 years, and today we have more than 6,500 employees across 8 locations worldwide,” said Richard Heppell, President and COO, Americas, Oceania and EMEA at SHOWA Group. “Nitrile glove manufacturing is a complex, resource-intensive multi-year process, one that SHOWA is uniquely positioned to execute with unmatched production capacity, a proven track record and robust financial resources.”
SHOWA invested $35 million to expand its Fayette, Alabama manufacturing facility. The 40,000 square foot facility now includes four additional high-speed monorail lines that will bring total production capacity to 1.2 billion PPE single-use, nitrile gloves by the end of 2022. The DHHS funding will be utilized for the buildout of two new, adjacent manufacturing facilities, which are expected to be operational in June 2023 and September 2024, respectively. Once all three factories are complete, SHOWA will have a capacity of 2.8 billion gloves annually.
Heppell adds, “The growing U.S. prioritization of re-shoring PPE demands industry partners that not only talk the talk, but who have truly walked the walk. SHOWA is the first company to produce a PPE nitrile glove on a line built before and during the pandemic, and the only PPE glove manufacturer with the long-term domestic supply arrangements as specified in domestic procurement legislation and Acts such as the Berry Amendment and Make PPE in America Act.”
To learn more about how SHOWA can meet COVID-19 PPE glove requirements with gloves that are manufactured and distributed in the U.S., visit the SHOWA Made in America product page. SHOWA is an FDA-approved Medical 510(k) glove manufacturer, a designation that ensures gloves meet performance criteria such as leak resistance, tear resistance and biocompatibility.
About SHOWA
SHOWA is synonymous with the highest degree of hand protection and innovation. We pioneer revolutionary technology and create over 1,800 gloves, each meticulously engineered to provide the perfect protection for the task at hand. With 58 patents owned and more than 100 researchers and developers dedicated to making our best even better, we blaze a trail for our industry without imitation. SHOWA’s unparalleled quality is achieved through 100% integrated manufacturing, giving us complete control at every stage of design and production. Down to every fiber, our gloves are created better to perform better, unleashing new potential for hands at work. Visit https://www.showagroup.com to learn more.
