SHOWA Group (Menlo, Ga.), a global, integrated manufacturer of industrial and household PPE gloves, has broken ground on a new glove manufacturing facility in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. The groundbreaking event, held October 26th, welcomed Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei, Minister of Economy Antonio Malouf and Japanese Ambassador to Guatemala Yamamoto Sam, as well as other high-ranking officials and SHOWA Group executives.
The SHOWA Group presence in Guatemala traces back 36 years, with one operational glove production facility in Guatemala City and one in Puerto Barrios. SHOWA Group is also expanding its existing Fayette, Alabama targeted for completion in April 2021. The new Guatemala facility will:
- More than double glove production capacity – SHOWA currently manufactures nearly 50 million gloves in Guatemala, and the expansion will more than double this capacity by 2024.
- Meet growing need for unsupported gloves – Expanded manufacturing capability in Guatemala enables SHOWA Group’s distribution partners to serve their markets with unsupported gloves that provide reliable hand protection across target industries such as food processing, manufacturing, automotive, chemical, and municipal services.
- Create hundreds of jobs – The second glove manufacturing facility is expected to create approximately 300 new Guatemalan jobs in Puerto Barrios over the next few years, and represents a $12 million investment commitment to the region.
- Strengthen commitment to combating COVID-19 – Breaking ground on this second Puerto Barrios facility uniquely positions SHOWA Group to meet global PPE glove demand to serve government and industry customers for the long-term, while protecting frontline workers playing a critical role during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are thrilled to expand our manufacturing presence in Guatemala and play a part in the country’s economic transformation efforts while supporting local job growth,” said Richard Heppell, chief operating officer for Americas, Oceania and EMEA at SHOWA Group. “Doubling our capacity over the next few years will not only help create hundreds of jobs, but importantly allows SHOWA to meet exploding global glove demand through planned production and innovation.”