Ontario kicking in $30 million to help Medicom build PPE plant in London, Ont., to manufacture nitrile gloves

Canada’s First Nitrile Glove Factory Reaches Milestone (CNW Group/AMD Medicom Inc.)

Ontario is kicking in $30 million to help Medicom build a 140,000-square-foot production facility in London, Ont., to make medical grade nitrile gloves.

The facility, which will cost a total of $165 million, will support the province’s efforts to shore up domestic production of personal protective equipment (PPE), it said in a press release. A total of 135 jobs are expected to be created at the plant.

The province called the new plant a “first of its kind in Canada” and will ensure it has enough PPE to safeguard health care, hospital, and front-line workers across Ontario. Medical grade nitrile gloves manufactured to Health Canada standards have become widely adopted as the standard glove across multiple commercial segments including the dental, industrial, medical, research and retail sectors, it said.

“During the last pandemic, we experienced the difficulties that arose from needing to have critical supplies imported from overseas when we needed them most,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

“The lessons we learned emphasized the importance of building a strong, resilient and self-reliant manufacturing supply chain. This investment will help enhance public safety and pandemic preparedness while creating new, good-paying jobs for workers in the London area.”

Guillaume Laverdure, CEO of Medicom.

Medicom CEO Guillaume Laverdure said the company was founded 35 years ago to meet the need for medical gloves at the height of the HIV crisis.

“Today, we’re taking a major step towards producing our own gloves, right here in Canada. Green, ethical, innovative gloves. Canadian gloves. Our governments were there to support people during the last pandemic, and now they’re showing that they’re getting ready for the next one,” said Laverdure. “Medicom is proud of this partnership, and we will deliver in the name of protection.”