Supermax sees higher sales from emerging markets

KUALA LUMPUR: Supermax Corp Bhd expects total sales from emerging markets to increase by 10 per cent in one or two years from six per cent currently.

Executive chairman and group managing director Datuk Seri Stanley Thai said demand from the healthcare industry will drive sales.

“Emerging markets such as China, India, Russia and Brazil have a huge population base with still relatively underdeveloped healthcare standards.

“These countries are rich but they neglected healthcare in the past. Now with money comes health,” he told a media briefing here yesterday.

He said growing awareness of healthcare will boost demand for healthcare products, including rubber gloves.

The maker of rubber gloves is also looking into the possibility of setting up distribution centres in strategic markets.

“Right now, we are looking at Egypt and Uruguay. From Egypt, we want to market our products to Algeria, Libya and the northern Africa region.

“We are looking into various possibilities in Uruguay. Most likely it will happen this year. Uruguay will be a platform for us to market our brand to Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, Columbia and Chile,” said Thai.

He said by setting up Supermax’s distribution centres in a strategic market, the company could consolidate its brand under its own distribution company.

Currently, 69 per cent of its products are sold under its own brand and are marketed to 149 countries.

The largest markets for the group’s products are North America and Europe, which make up 40 per cent and 28 per cent of its total sales, respectively.

Supermax has distribution offices in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Belgium and Germany and holds a 12 per cent market share globally in the rubber glove industry.