In safe hands

In a market populated by cheap and counterfeit products,
how does a premium supplier make the case for its range?
Georgina Bisby went to hand arm protection specialist
Marigold Industrial’s Portuguese factory to find out

Like much of the PPE market, when
it comes to hand arm protection
there are several solutions
available that differ in quality and price.

While some counterfeit or imitation
products are of poor quality and offer
little protection, others, for a time at
least, may perform reasonably well and
can be difficult to distinguish from
higher quality items.

At Marigold Industrial’s (part of the
Comasec group) Portuguese plant there
is a wealth of glove making expertise.

Dipping for the company’s seamless
range and knitting for the textiles range
take place twenty four hours a day, five
days a week and the plant has the
capacity to make over 23 million pairs of
gloves annually with the potential to
increase this thanks to a recent lean
manufacturing drive. An on-site R&D
centre employs three chemical engineers
and two textile engineers whose job it is
to ensure the company continually
innovates.

Focus on R&D
To achieve this, staff at the R&D centre
work in partnership with universities,
textile manufacturers and other Marigold
experts around the world to develop new
yarns, glove coatings and product
concepts.

Having a highly skilled R&D centre on
site has the advantage of giving Marigold
more control over its innovation.

Products developments are planned five
years in advance and a minimum of one
year is invested in any R&D for any
project. Having on-site expertise also
means Marigold doesn’t shy away from
more challenging innovations such as its
recent success in incorporating leather
technology into its gloves. This was a
particular challenge because of the
regulations that govern the use of leather
but it was one that Marigold persevered
with and the company now has a specially
trained team working on this range.

Another advantage of having in-house
expertise is that Marigold can customise
new product developments to meet
specific customer requirements, which
enables the company to target specialised
markets.

The company aims to bring out new
products every year. Current projects
include the development of a flexible level
5 cut resistant glove which is planned for
launch this October.

Quality assurance
Stringent manufacturing quality control
measures are essential for any PPE
manufacturer but even more so for those
at the top end of the market. All of
Marigold Industrial’s suppliers are
validated and approved before any orders
are made and the company has a dual
sourcing policy for strategic raw materials.

All critical products are inspected by a
metal detector and there is a batch
traceability number printed on all Bladecut
level 5 gloves.

Marigold also goes beyond the required
EN388 blade-cut test for its cut resistant
range using the ASTM test method in
addition. “Level 5 cut resistance can vary
greatly,” explains plant manager Alan
Rimington. The Portugal plant has invested
in one of the few ASTM testing machines
in the world so that it can ensure all of its
relevant gloves meet this standard.

While it is commendable that the
company goes to this effort there is
evidence to suggest there is a serious lack
of knowledge among specifiers and users
of protective gloves so it is questionable
whether the market appreciates this?
According to Rimington it is, because
equal to this lack education is extensive
product knowledge in areas where the
need for hand protection is paramount:
“Many car manufacturers for example
now insist that level 4&5 gloves are tested
to this standard,” Rimington explains,
adding. “ASTM is the future.”
Rimington notes that there has also
been a shift in specifying attitudes since
the recession. “People are waking up to
the fact that quality is an investment and
a better product will often last a
surprising amount longer than a cheaper
alternative.” says Allen. “Our Nitrile
range for example has been exceeding
expectations and our sales teams are
complaining that the gloves are lasting
too long and putting them out of a job.”
All critical products are
inspected by a metal
detector

The future is green
Another factor driving the market is the
demand for more sustainable and
environmentally friendly products.

Marigold’s N1000 range passing the
criteria for the Oeko-Tex standard marks
a recent achievement in this area for the
company. (Further details on the standard
right)
Rimington reports that user feedback
on this range has been extremely positive
so far and sustainability and
environmental factors will be a key
consideration in the development of
future products. By way of an example, a
key challenge for the future explains
Rimington: “is to develop a fully
biodegradable glove.”

Getting a grip on hand protection
According to Marigold Industrial there are several common mistakes made in the choice and use of hand protection, including:

Incorrect sizing which makes the user reluctant to wear gloves thereby reducing the level of protection
Wrong type of glove: i.e. mechanical gloves are often used when a chemical glove is needed and vice versa
Wrong level of protection: Chemical glove incorrect material for the hazard
Wrong level of protection: a low mechanical model is used when cut resistance is required
Lack of awareness of operator of allergy issues
Disregard of Food approval EC/1935/2004 when working with and handling food
Lack of knowledge of EN standards which assist in correct glove selection
Incorrect donning and doffing procedures: resulting in operator chemical contamination
Lack of pre-donning (air leaks) checks which highlights glove integrity and ensures operator safety