Supermax Healthcare Canada releases statement about glove manufacturing operations

LONGUEUIL — Supermax Healthcare Canada released a statement clarifying the termination of the two contracts for the supply of nitrile gloves.

Supermax Healthcare Canada says it is still allowed to participate in public tenders. Moreover, that the importation of its personal protective equipment is not banned in Canada.

It also clarified that the Malaysian company Supermax Corp., not Supermax Healthcare Canada, is the subject of forced labour allegations raised by the U.S. government at its glove manufacturing facilities in Malaysia. No findings have yet been made regarding these allegations and a rigorous process of four independent audits is still underway at the affected factories. This process will continue until the spring of 2022, at which time Supermax Corp. must submit the audit reports to the U.S. government.

On December 15, 2021, Supermax Healthcare Canada shared with the Canadian government the preliminary results of the first audit conducted by an independent firm at the Malaysian facilities of its partner and supplier Supermax Corp.

To this effect, Supermax Corp. publicly indicated in early January 2022 that it had already implemented several of the requested changes and that it was working to implement all of the auditor’s recommendations as soon as possible. The process calls for these improvements to be evaluated in subsequent audits.

Supermax Corp. says that it wants to give the U.S. government priority access to the final audit report, which will not be available until the spring of 2022. Citing this, they say they have mutually agreed to terminate the contracts
with the Canadian government for nitrile gloves manufactured in the Malaysian facility.

Supermax Healthcare Canada is continuing its activities in Canada, including the local production of surgical masks in its Canadian facilities.