Semperit delays divestment of medical unit 

Vienna – Semperit AG has delayed a decision to separate its medical business in order to focus on gloves supply security in Austria, the group has told ERJ.

Semperit disclosed in January plans to divest its Sempermed gloves making unit, as part of a strategy to focus on the industrial segment.

“Due to the Corona crisis, Semperit, as an Austrian company with an Austrian majority shareholder, has set new priorities,” said corporate spokeswoman Monika Riedel in a 29 June written statement.

This, Reidel added, includes the initial stage of focusing on the security of supply of medical gloves to the country. 

“Semperit is fulfilling its responsibility… with [the supply of] its medical gloves in order to make the greatest possible contribution to combating the Corona crisis,” she noted.

The statement came in response to press reports suggesting Semperit was in the final stages of selling its Malaysia-based Latexx production unit.

Reidel declined to comment on the reported sale.

With two gloves production facilities in Wimpassing, Austria; and Kamunting in  Malaysia, Sempermed registered sales of €293 million and earnings of €5.5 million in 2019. 

In addition, the unit has a packaging production plant in Sopron, Hungary and a gloves mould manufacturing site in Nilai, Malaysia.