Condom-maker Karex to expand sanitiser production

The world’s biggest condom maker, Karex Bhd, is responding to the Covid-19 pandemic by expanding production of sanitising products.

The company started producing hand sanitisers under the brand HANS in March and is expected to come out with a sanitising spray by the end of this month and wipes before August.

Group chief executive officer Goh Miah Kiat said the company made the shift to address the shortage of sanitisers, considering that it doesn’t require major adjustments to their manufacturing process.

“The thing is, we already have those tanks. We have the mixing tanks, the bottling machines and they were already there,” he told Bernama.

He said the changes made included shifting the production from water-based to alcohol-based as well as conducting the necessary research to come up with a formula that is safe and effective.

Goh said the company had initially stopped producing lubricants to make way for hand sanitiser production to meet local demand, but has now resumed lubricant production.

He said the company’s sanitiser product line does not comprise a major part of its product range but is expected to expand in the future.

“To date, around 100,000 bottles have been produced. The hand sanitisers are currently available for purchase online,” he said.

Karex produces one out of five condoms on the market today, as well as lubricants and sheaths for medical devices.

The company recorded a net loss of RM1.13 million in the third quarter ended March 31, 2020 from a net profit of RM165,000 in the same period last year, despite revenue growing to RM99.15 million in the quarter from RM85.11 million in the third quarter of 2019.

According to a Fior Markets report, demand for hand sanitising products, including spray, gel, wipe and foam, is expected to double to US$2.14 billion (RM9.1 billion) by 2027.

Source: Bernama