The cost of hand protection
January 1st 2005 Comasec Yate acquired Marigold Industrial in 2004.
Ian Clay visited its managing director, Mike Reid to find out what the acquisition would mean for those seeking hand protection
With a history that stretches back to the very birth of the industrial ‘rubber’ glove Comasec has been, for a long time now a big name in hand protection. However, its acquisition of Marigold Industrial brings with it a higher state of awareness in the public consciousness. There are many sound business reasons for the acquisition, the main one being that the Marigold Industrial glove range filled gaps in the Comasec product range and its strong presence in U.S and UK markets along with its Malaysian manufacturing facility all fitted well.
Comasec offers users a huge range of products. Its knitting plant in Portugal claims to be the largest glove knitting plant in Europe and makes everything from high dexterity ultra fine gloves to cut resistant gloves using materials from simple cotton to technical yarns made from Kevlar or Dyneema filaments. It also offers a wide range of coated gloves.
The width of the range is remarkable when you consider Comasec’s business model of ‘vertical integration’ or put more simply by Mike Reid “We make what we sell”. Comasec has automated dipping production lines developed by its own engineers, many of its dipping techniques have been adapted to complex coatings offering excellent chemical resistance. The company has a huge amount of knowledge of the thinnest coatings, stretchable and micro-ventilated offering user comfort. It also has expertise in thermo-plastic compounds and elastomers, from extra supple PVC, highly resistant nitrile to pure natural rubber, Butyl and Neoprene. The advantage to users of Comasec’s expertise is that they can get a fast reaction to technical questions from a company that has immense knowledge about and control over its products.
Michael explains that when the company receives a query from a user regarding correct specification then they can usually use their past experience to answer that query. However, if the company is using a new chemical or mix of chemicals then Comasec can conduct tests before making its hand protection recommendations.
The company also provides other useful services for the end user. On Comasec’s newly relaunched website www.marigold-industrial.com there is an online risk analysis tool as well as chemical resistance data. When a construction site manager has specified Comasec products they will receive an on-site training pack giving them more information about the products. As Mike Reid says “It is all about providing education tools to support the user in making specification easy”.
The position of Comasec as an expert, ready to help guide users through the technically complex field of product specifying is one that Mike Reid is very insistent upon. When looking at the UK market a great percentage of health and safety products are purchased from distributors. Theirs is a business of logistics, not necessarily of technical knowledge and specifiers must bear this in mind. Distributors have so many different products. They can’t be experts on all of them.
Where Comasec comes into its own is in its understanding of, and willingness to find cost effective solutions to end user problems. Mike states “ The costs of the products only represents 30% of the cost of hand protection, we can help to reduce the 70% ‘other’ costs. It is not all about the lowest unit cost but the lowest cost of hand protection.” Numerous examples exist of where the company has analysed the processes of certain companies and managed to reduce their hand protection costs through more informed specification regarding factors such as breakthrough times; laundering properties; re-use information and accounting. “We provide” says Mike “the tools and mechanisms to support the end user which will help manage costs.” One such example is the Comabox, a vending machine that allows users to easily access products but, because of a swipe card system can also provide detailed management information about an individual’s product use. Not only does this increase an individuals accountability as to their glove use (and would be a powerful weapon against theft) but it can also provide accounting advantages in terms of stock holding and patterns of use. A veritable database of consumption. Charles De Gaulle airport in France has twenty five such machines.
If you specify gloves you may, or may not have noticed that Marigold Industrial is now a brand of Comasec. However, what you will be aware of is that any opportunity to either increase the safety of your people through technological advancements or trim costs from your process through optimised use (and preferably both) should be taken. If so Comasec is well placed to provide the advice you seek. More articles from Marigold Industrial Ltd: | 
