Why Premier and Honeywell are Collaborating to Make More Exam Gloves

Healthcare workers wear gloves constantly. With higher hospital rates and vaccinations in full swing, it’s no surprise that there’s a shortage of the blue nitrile exam gloves. 

Here’s a look at how we’re solving that. 

What: Premier Inc and Honeywell announced a new commercial relationship dedicated to expanding the domestic production of nitrile exam gloves. Both companies are based in Charlotte. 

Why: There’s a significant shortage of exam gloves with demand exceeding production capacity by nearly 40%. This is due to global raw material scarcity, port closures and delays and increased glove usage due to increased hospitalization rates and vaccination efforts. 

Where: Made in the USA. 

The impact: At least 750 million domestically made nitrile exam gloves in the first year alone.

What exactly is nitrile? Nitrile is a type of synthetic rubber that is considered an alternative to latex. Gloves made from nitrile are more durable and avoid any latex allergies.