JAPAN Glove Manufacturers Association announced on February 10th 2015 that the domestic sales result for household use, work use and medical use of FY 2014.
Total sales of household use was 97,683,000 pairs, and it was 1.1% less than the previous year, which was the first time that the sales had decreased in the last 2 years.
It was affected by the expansion of the market for disposable general ultrathin gloves.
Sales for working gloves was 135,553,000 pairs, and it was 0.4% more than the previous year, which had increased for 5 years in a row.
For medical use, sales for surgical gloves was 78,458,000 pairs, and it was 2.4% more than the previous year.
・Household use gloves
Among household use gloves, sales of vinyl gloves was 55,520,000 pairs (1.7% less), rubber gloves was 32,777,000 pairs (0.6% less), and nitrile gloves was 9,386,000 pairs(0.2% more than the previous year).
Also the sales of general ultrathin gloves has been maintaining good levels continuously with the volume of 2,034,255,000 pairs, which was 7.5% more than the previous year.
・Working gloves
Working gloves for export industry due to Yen depreciation effect have been keeping up good sales, and domestic housing and construction use gloves as well.
However, the glove industry has high overseas production shift, and it is subject to the effects of Yen depreciation and increase of manpower costs in Southeast Asian contries directly. Therefore, in terms of profit, it is in a very severe environment.
All surface coating type with backing cloth was 28,972,000 pairs, which was 3.5% less, and non backing cloth type was 10,171,000 pairs and which was 3.7% more than the previous year. One-side coating type with rubber attached was 2,610,000 pairs, and which was 18.7% more, and dip type (A) was 59,315,000 pairs, and which was 3.8% more, and then dip type (B) was 4,245,000, and which was 1.3% more, and print type was 27,596,000 pairs, and which was 0.2% less than the previous year.
Cold protection type was 2,587,000 pairs, and which was 8.9% less. Others was 57,000 pairs, which was 5.6% more.
・Medical use gloves
The rate for powder-free has achieved more than half for surgical gloves among medical use gloves, but it is still behind compared to the diffusion rate of 80% in Europe. Therefore, JAPAN Glove Manufacturers Association is intending to continue to promote further safety and superiority of powder free. On the other hand, sales of dental gloves (pair type) was 2,970,000 pairs, and it was 11.9% less than the previous year. The sales result of the previous year was an increase, but it turned to a decrease. Also, the sales for gloves for medical check-ups and examinations was 892,865,000 pairs, and which was 2.5% less than the previous year, which was the first time that the sales had decreased in the last 3 years.