From 4 – 6 September, the scene at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre was abuzz with activity as the 9th International Rubber Glove Conference and Exhibition (IRGCE) opened its doors to the public. During the launching ceremony, the event was honoured by the appearance of Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who delivered the opening address.
“When people think of rubber, they think of Malaysia… [And] we are the biggest rubber gloves producer in the world,” said the premier. "Today, doctors cannot imagine performing surgery without donning on medical gloves. And we see rubber gloves are increasingly being used in other sectors, such as food handling and cleaning services.”
In his speech, he also encouraged the industry players to continue researching and developing new innovative ways of using rubber, and that the private sector has the firm support of government agencies.
Over 10,000 trade visitors were estimated to have visited the exhibition and conference, which featured exhibitors from 14 countries and 800 conference participants. The crowd of visitors, comprising industry players, stakeholders and experts, thronged to the halls where the conference and exhibition were held in order to witness the latest developments in market trends and technological advancements, compare notes, share knowledge, meet new faces and greet familiar ones.
Started in 2002, IRGCE is today the world’s largest exhibition of rubber gloves. For the first time since its inception, the organisers of the International Rubber Conference (IRC) also joined the event, making this the first collaboration between these two organisers from the latex and rubber industries. Carrying the theme of “Transforming Technology, Driving Innovation” for the conference, the event was jointly organised by the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association and co-hosted by the Malaysian Export Promotion Council, in association with the rubber glove manufacturers associations of Thailand and Indonesia.
Following in this spirit of multilateral cooperation, Behn Meyer made our appearance at the event with our partner Performance Additives at an eye-catching booth featuring a custom design that represents both of our ever-growing presence in the local industry.
The event was further graced by the appearances of several dignitaries, among whom included incumbent Minister of Primary Industries Teresa Kok. Many of our suppliers, partners, customers and friends from the industry visited us at our booth to catch up and discuss the latest industry updates. Not only that, we also networked with potential leads and took questions from prospective customers who were looking for solutions to their rubber manufacturing related challenges.
As the 3-day event drew to a close on the final day, we each left with a feeling of satisfaction at the work we have accomplished as well as a sense of closer cooperation among our teams. We look forward to more adventures ahead and also to the next installation of IRGCE.
