Medline Expands Honea Path, S.C. Plant to Help Support Growing Preference Toward Latex-Free Products

August 25, 2015 | By Business Wire News

MUNDELEIN, Ill.

An estimated five to 18 percent of healthcare workers have allergies to natural rubber latex. As such, a growing number of healthcare facilities are eliminating products made with latex. To support the increased demand in latex-free alternatives, Medline is expanding its Honea Path, S.C. production facility that produces a synthetic polyisoprene material called Isolex ™ by 30 percent. The company is a global manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies and clinical solutions.

“Our latex-free Sensicare® surgical gloves made with Isolex continue to gain worldwide adoption among surgeons for the tactile sensitivity, comfort and protection they provide compared to latex gloves. Isolex-made products provide the performance of natural rubber latex without the harmful latex proteins,” says Paul Bottcher, division president, surgical gloves and orthopedics, Medline. “As we accelerate the growth of our surgical glove business in existing markets and new markets internationally, being able to continue to control the quality, cost, R&D and supply of the Isolex raw material is very important to us. With a growing demand for latex alternatives for medical applications such as catheters and bandage adhesives, to name a few, we are excited to continue to grow this segment of our business.”

This latest expansion represents the fourth since Medline began operations at this location in 2004. It is slated to come online in March 2016 and will create about a dozen new jobs for the area.

“We are pleased to continue to be part of the Honea Path community and proud to create materials made in America while helping to support the country’s manufacturing workforce,” added Bottcher.

Learn more about Medline’s line of latex-free surgical gloves at http://www.medline.com/products/gloves/latex-free-surgical-gloves/.

About Medline

Medline is a global manufacturer and distributor serving the healthcare industry with medical supplies and clinical solutions that help customers achieve both clinical and financial success. Headquartered in Mundelein, Ill., the company offers 350,000+ medical devices and support services through more than 1,200 direct sales representatives who are dedicated points of contact for customers across the continuum of care. For more information on Medline, go to www.medline.com or http://www.medline.com/social-media to connect with Medline on its social media channels.