The ongoing geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East have begun to exert a significant impact on global industrial supply chains, with Malaysian rubber product manufacturers bearing the brunt of the disruption. On April 24, the world’s largest condom manufacturer and a globally renowned rubber glove producer, both based in Malaysia, announced that rubber product prices have risen sharply due to the continued disruption of oil and petrochemical product supplies caused by blocked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to AFP reports, Top Glove, a well-known Malaysian rubber glove manufacturer, stated that the cost of raw materials for synthetic rubber gloves has doubled. Meanwhile, Karex, a Malaysian company that supplies brands such as Durex, said it has been forced to raise prices by up to 30%. The Strait of Hormuz is a key global shipping route, through which a large number of oil and petrochemical products pass. The current tension in the Middle East has led to increased shipping risks and costs, indirectly pushing up the prices of raw materials for rubber products.

Industry insiders predict that if the situation in the Middle East does not ease and the shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz persists, the prices of rubber products may continue to rise, which will not only affect the profitability of related manufacturers but also have a spillover impact on global medical and daily necessities markets. In addition, the tension in the Middle East has also affected global energy prices, with Brent crude oil breaking through $101 per barrel and WTI crude oil exceeding $96 per barrel on April 27, further increasing the cost pressure on downstream industries. The global supply chain is highly interconnected, and the conflict in the Middle East has once again highlighted the vulnerability of global industrial chains to geopolitical risks, prompting relevant enterprises and countries to accelerate the adjustment of supply chain layouts and enhance risk resilience.