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History

Creating a meaningful legacy since 1988

History

2001-2019
1988 - 2000
2019

FindMe™ Metal Detectable Gloves

Hartalega introduced the FindMe™ metal detectable gloves that are able to prevent product contamination as well as product recall. Specially designed with embedded magnetite, our the FindMe™ gloves help you detect and discard products that have been contaminated with glove fragments.

2019
2018

Nikkei Asian Review Asia300

We were ranked 11th overall and No. 1 in Malaysia on the Nikkei Asian Review Asia300 Power Performers Ranking.

NGC Plant 5

Hartalega commenced construction of Plant 5 of the NGC, which will add 12 production lines and increase our total capacity to 37 billion pieces per year.

2018
2018

World’s Most Valuable Glove Manufacturer

Hartalega’s market capitalisation grew to RM20 billion as at 31 March 2018, making us the world's most valuable glove manufacturer.

Top 30 Malaysian Company

Hartalega was inducted into the FBM KLCI 30, which ranks the top 30 companies in Malaysia by market capitalisation.

2018
2017

AMG™ Antimicrobial Gloves

Hartalega achieved another world-first innovation: the non-leaching antimicrobial glove.

This revolutionary product is a game-changer in the healthcare industry, with proven efficacy in helping to curb the spread of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

Bacteria encountering the glove will be exposed to the antimicrobial activity which, in independent testing, killed up to 99.999% of microbes within just five minutes of contact.

2017
2016

Goodpac™

Hartalega launched Goodpac™ – a single glove dispensing technology which saves cost and prevents glove wastage and glove contamination.

This technology utilises a Digital Quality System (DQS) which scans and detects even the most miniscule of defects. Gloves with defects are removed automatically, eliminating human error commonly found in conventional inspection and sorting methods.

With DQS, each and every glove that comes out of the factory is 100% free of visual defects.

2016
2015

BDG™ Biodegradable Gloves

We developed BDG™ biodegradable gloves as part of Hartalega’s environmental sustainability efforts. As a result of our unique formulation, these gloves can only biodegrade when surrounded by microbes that are present in a landfill, thereby ensuring product durability prior to disposal.

NGC Plant 1 & 2

We completed Plant 1 and 2 at NGC. With an additional 24 lines, this increased our total capacity to 23 billion pieces per annum.

2015
2013

Skin Protectant Gloves – COATS®

Hartalega created the world's first colloidal oatmeal coated gloves - COATS®. This patented glove coating technology contains US FDA recognised skin protectant, which effectively protects and moisturises the skin.

The coating also functions as a barrier between glove and skin, preventing skin irritation from prolonged glove film contact.

2013
2013

NGC – The Next Wave of Growth

We embarked on our next wave of growth known as the Next Generation Integrated Glove Manufacturing Complex (NGC) in Sepang.

We invested in a massive RM2.5 billion expansion project to cater to the glove industry’s future needs. NGC will contribute significantly to the transformation of the glove industry in Malaysia to a high-tech and innovation-driven industry with a highly skilled workforce.

Our 7 state-of-the-art production plants will substantially boost our annual capacity to 44.6 billion pieces, progressively.

2013
2012

Record Breaking Lines

We completed our expansion at Bestari Jaya with the construction of Plant 6. Equipped with 10 production lines, we once again set a new industry benchmark with the fastest production lines in the world, operating at 45,000 pcs/hr, bringing total capacity to 13.2 billion pieces per annum.

2012
2010

World’s Largest Nitrile Glove Producer

We completed the construction of Plant 5 at Bestari Jaya with 12 lines, bringing production capacity up to 10 billion pieces per annum with each line operating at 36,000 pcs/hr.

This expansion cemented Hartalega's position as the world's largest nitrile glove producer.

2010
2008

Bursa Malaysia Main Board

It was a momentous milestone when Hartalega was listed on the Main Board of the Bursa Malaysia Stock Exchange, reinforcing our position as the world's largest OEM nitrile glove producer. We gained a 20% share of the US synthetic glove market and a 10% share of the global nitrile glove market.

2008
2008

Bestari Jaya Plant 4

With increased demand in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, Hartalega constructed Plant 4 at Bestari Jaya with 10 new production lines, increasing total installed capacity to 6.2 billion pieces per annum.

Hartalega set a new record for fastest production line in the world operating at 33,000 pcs/hr, compared with the industry average of 12,000 pcs/hr.

2008
2007

World’s Thinnest Glove

Hartalega launched the world's thinnest nitrile glove, weighing 3.7grams in 2007. Developed at the same time as the 4.7gram glove in 2005, the 3.7gram glove was kept in Hartalega’s "war chest".

Addressing Climate Change

Hartalega’s empty fruit bunch fibre fuelled renewable energy plants were successfully registered with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) or Kyoto Protocol. The first and only UNFCCC certified plants in the industry.

2007
2005

World’s First Lightweight Glove

As a result of our relentless drive for innovation, Hartalega disrupted the global market by inventing the world’s first lightweight nitrile glove. Weighing a mere 4.7 grams, the gloves exhibited improved tactile sensitivity while maintaining high durability.

Its unrivalled sensitivity, comfort, barrier strength and protein allergen-free attributes triggered a momentous switch in hospitals across the USA and Europe, from natural rubber gloves to the new lightweight nitrile gloves.

2005
2005

Raising The Bar Through R&D

Hartalega introduced the industry's first robotic lab simulator, precisely simulating our glove manufacturing process within a wide range of parameters.

This fully automatic system provides accurate repeatability, enabling our R&D team to test new ideas and greatly reduce the time it takes for new products to hit the market.

2005
2004

Driving Productivity

We completed the construction of Plant 3 at Bestari Jaya with 8 production lines, boosting total capacity to 3.3 billion pieces per annum.

2004
2004

Automatic Glove Puller & Stacker System

Conventionally, manual labour was required to stack gloves. With lines running at 28,000 pcs/hr, manual stacking was an impossibility. Our glove puller and stacker system is mechanically-driven to grip and remove gloves from formers. The machine also has precision capabilities to drop gloves into the same position on the conveyor to form a stack for direct packing.

2004
2004

Double Former Lines

Hartalega invented the world’s first double former production lines. The patented double former dipping lines enabled us to double our capacity on a single production line. This allowed Hartalega to achieve a higher production output with a smaller production area and fewer dipping lines.

World’s Fastest Production Lines

We set a global benchmark with the fastest glove production lines in the world, operating at speeds of 28,000 pcs/hr, compared with the industry average of 10,000 pcs/hr.

2004
2003

First Renewable Energy

In line with Hartalega's commitment to environmental conservation, we embarked on a project to build the industry's first empty fruit bunch fibre fuelled renewable energy plant to replace the use of natural gas for heating purposes.

Not only is this environmentally sustainable, it provides substantial savings in energy costs for us.

2003
2002

High Elasticity Nitrile Glove

Through our continuous R&D efforts, Hartalega successfully created the world’s first high elasticity nitrile glove. This innovation was a catalyst, which propelled the industry into a new era.

The gloves mimicked the softness and stretchiness of natural rubber gloves, while resolving the issues of high price, poor comfort and the suboptimal elasticity of conventional nitrile gloves.

More importantly, nitrile gloves became the ideal alternative for individuals with latex protein allergies.

2002
1997

Continued Expansion

We constructed Plant 2 at Bestari Jaya with 5 production lines, increasing total capacity to 1.2 billion pieces per annum.

1997
1995

Automated Glove Stripping Machine

To reduce reliance on manual labour, Hartalega designed and implemented the world's first automated glove stripping machine.

The ability to handle large volumes for both natural and nitrile gloves, enabled us to scale up productivity significantly.

1995
1994

Polymer Coated Gloves

Hartalega was the first in the world to develop polymer coated powder free natural rubber gloves. This breakthrough product greatly reduced the discomforts associated with conventional latex gloves, such as stickiness, unpleasant odour and poor physical properties.

Not only did this glove provide the benefit of better grip under wet or dry conditions, it addressed the health, safety and environmental issues caused by the off-line chlorination process.

1994
1992

Geared For Growth

As demand for greater hand protection grew, Hartalega’s operations expanded, moving from Kepong to Bestari Jaya with an increased installed capacity of 10 production lines operating at 700 million pieces per annum.

1992
1988

Visionary Founder

Mr Kuan Kam Hon founded Hartalega in the year 1988 with a mission to deliver the best possible protection for the hands of healthcare providers across the world.

We started from humble beginnings in Kepong with 5 production lines producing 307 million pieces per annum, and made our first foray into the overseas market by exporting to the USA.

1988

We Are Hartalega
We Are Hartalega

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