In a statement today, Mah Sing Healthcare said the factory had received its business licence and other licences and permits, including an export licence from the Malaysian Rubber Board.

It said it had also obtained two licences from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which would allow it to sell gloves in that country.

Mah Sing Healthcare said it had secured sufficient raw materials to meet orders and interest from buyers and distributors mainly serving markets such as the US, Canada, the Middle East, Europe, the UK, Japan, China, South Korea, Singapore, Russia and Latin America.

“This new milestone places Mah Sing among the first few new glove entrants in Malaysia to commence glove production to meet immediate market demand,” it said.

“The rapid progress of Mah Sing’s glove venture is typical of the property developer, which is known for its quick turnaround business model.”

Mah Sing Healthcare said it expects its first shipment of gloves to be delivered within the month, adding that it is on track to getting six production lines operational in the second quarter, followed by another six in the third quarter.

The maximum production capacity of these lines is up to 3.68 billion pieces of gloves per annum.

It said the increase in glove usage because of new norms, fears of reinfection, higher health awareness, as well as hygiene compliance requirements for healthcare and non-healthcare sectors will continue to support strong demand for gloves post-pandemic.