Ansell buys majority of Chinese condom supplier

Red Bank, new Jersey -- Ansell Ltd. is expanding its presence in China by purchasing a 75-percent interest in Wuhan Jessbon Sanitary Products Co. Ltd., a condom supplier based in Wuhan, China.

Ansell has been selling into the Chinese synthetic occupational glove market for a number of years, but the firm´s growth has been limited because it lacked a strong local sales force along with local warehousing and distribution facilities, the company said. The move is aimed at addressing those issues, it said.

"The development of China as a manufacturing base for the world has been impressive with large numbers of local and international companies creating a manufacturing base there," CEO Doug Tough said. "Ansell will focus its growth on opportunities along the coastal corridor and support the Chinese government´s drive to improve health and safety."