Kossan To Slow Down Production Due To Covid 19 Cases

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Production at glove maker Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd is expected to be reduced for two weeks. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: Production at glove maker Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd will be scaled down 25% for two weeks, after 427 workers tested positive for Covid-19, according to media reports and analysts.
A Reuters report, based on Kenanga Research and citing a briefing to investors and analysts on Tuesday, said the outbreak was reported at one of Kossan’s six facilities after 7,004 workers were screened.
The particular factory has since been closed to undergo thorough cleaning.
The remaining 1,667 workers who tested negative are undergoing quarantine, according to Kenanga and three other research houses.
Kossan founder Lim Kuang Sia confirmed the reports when speaking to The Edge Markets.
He said the outbreak was unlikely to impact more than 2% of the group’s bottom line as “the impact on production is only for two weeks (starting from Dec 4)”.
Representatives of Kossan did not immediately respond to requests by Reuters for comment.
Affin Hwang Capital said Kossan had voluntarily shut down nearly a quarter of its production capacity for two weeks following the outbreak of the virus, with operations expected to resume on Dec 20.
The glove maker also plans to test 20% of its workers every two weeks as a precaution going forward, the research houses said.
Kossan is the latest glove manufacturer to see production slowed due to a large number of positive tests being linked to their facility.
Top Glove, the world’s largest glove maker, was forced to shut 28 of its Malaysian factories in stages last month to allow for screening and quarantine of workers.
They became the site of Malaysia’s biggest virus cluster after more than 5,000 workers were infected, while smaller rival, Hartalega, also reported cases. - FMT

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