Prospects

The rubber glove industry continues to be on a strong growth path despite the current global financial challenges and global economic uncertainties. In addition to the organic growth of 8-12% annually, global demand has been boosted by the ongoing H1N1 pandemic and growing demand from emerging markets as well as the healthcare and hygiene sectors.

The Group currently operates 8 wholly owned manufacturing plants and has 5 overseas distribution centres. The growing demand which is continuously being tapped by the Group?s wide global network of 750 distributors in over 145 countries and 5 distribution centres augurs well for the Group in terms of business stability and sustainability in the long term. The Group?s investment in overseas distribution since year 2001 has benefited and yielded greater market penetration in selected market territories.

The ongoing refurbishment works as well as the construction of its new Meru plant which encompasses the installation of 16 new lines with added capacity of 2.3 billion pieces of gloves per annum, is also expected to contribute to the Group?s performance going forward.

For the current financial year, the Group has achieved earnings per share of 48.37 sen, which had already surpassed its original internal target of a minimum 27 sen for year 2009 as well as the revised target of 44 sen. In view of this better than projected performance, the Company has now revised the internal target for FY2010 from the initial target of 50 sen earnings per share to 62 sen or RM168 million Profit after Tax for FY2010.