What SHOWA Group does

SHOWA Group is a privately held, Japanese-origin manufacturer of industrial and medical personal protective equipment (PPE) specializing in hand protection. The company operates as a fully integrated producer, controlling every step of the value chain — from machinery, yarn production, coatings, polymers, designs, and hand formers — to deliver chemical, cut, impact, heat, cold, and abrasion-resistant gloves. Its product portfolio spans chemical protective gloves, cut-resistant gloves, single-use nitrile gloves, and general-purpose gloves, supported by a portfolio of branded proprietary technologies including Eco Best Technology (EBT) for biodegradable nitrile, DURACoil cut-resistance, ChemRest chemical protection, S-TEX ergonomic cut-resistant knit, BREATHEX Foam, MICROFIBER, and TEMRES breathable water-resistant coatings. All production sites are ISO 9001 certified.

SHOWA distributes globally through a dual go-to-market: direct enterprise field sales — including the Sentinel by SHOWA program targeting organizations with 150 or more glove users via on-site surveys and 4-week trials — and a network of regional channel partners with localized websites across Europe, North America, Latin America, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Manufacturing is concentrated in Malaysia and Vietnam, with a major capacity expansion underway at the Fayette facility in the USA to position SHOWA as the largest domestic disposable nitrile glove manufacturer. End markets are diversified across industrial manufacturing (primary), healthcare, food processing, and laboratory/pharmaceutical verticals.

The company is currently investing in ESG and sustainability infrastructure, including a 2024 Double Materiality Assessment with KPMG and Zeroboard for CSRD alignment, a LPG-to-CNG transition at manufacturing sites, a 3.5 million kWh annual solar array in Malaysia, and a 2025 Kurumin workplace certification. Recent product activity includes the 2025 launch of the MFT PRO Series (models 344 and 381). SHOWA Group is privately held with no disclosed revenue, funding rounds, or parent company, and operates from approximately 1,001 to 5,000 employees.

Name

SHOWA Group

Legal name

SHOWA GROUP

Website

https://showagroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

SHOWA Group is a privately held, Japanese-origin, vertically integrated global manufacturer of industrial and medical hand protection gloves, serving industrial manufacturing, healthcare, food processing, and laboratory customers through direct enterprise sales and a global channel partner network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Hand Protection / Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Gloves, Masks/Respirators, Gowns, Face Shields) (HLAHANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protective Disposable Wear (Masks, Gloves, Shoe Covers, Hairnets) (CRADALAJ), Disposable Protective Apparel (Coveralls, Gowns, Shoe Covers) (CRAAALAM), Safety, PPE & Workwear Retail (Gloves, Respirators, Eye/Ear Protection) (CRAIADAK)

Keywords

• Industrial hand protection
• Disposable nitrile gloves
• Cut resistant gloves
• Chemical protective gloves
• Single use gloves

Headquarters

HQ city

Menlo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Industrial Hand Protection Products: SHOWA generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of industrial and medical PPE hand protection products including chemical protective gloves, cut resistant gloves, single-use gloves, general purpose gloves, and specialized protection gloves for various hazards and industries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SHOWA Group is a fully integrated manufacturer of industrial hand protection (PPE) products, controlling every step of production from machinery and yarn creation to coatings, polymers, designs, and hand formers. The company manufactures and sells chemical protective gloves, cut resistant gloves, single-use disposable gloves, general purpose gloves, and specialized protection gloves for hazards including chemicals, cuts, impact, heat, cold, and abrasion. It serves industrial manufacturing, healthcare, food processing, and laboratory/pharmaceutical customers globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ChemRest: Full chemical protection service platform with dedicated technology and product range for chemical-resistant gloves.
• Sentinel by SHOWA
• MFT PRO
• DURACoil
• Eco Best Technology (EBT)
• S-TEX
• BREATHEX FOAM
• TEMRES

Products and services

• Chemical Protective Gloves Industrial and medical gloves designed to protect against chemical exposure across multiple industries including manufacturing, healthcare, and laboratory use.
• Cut Resistant Gloves Gloves engineered with cut-resistant technology (DURACoil) maintaining EN 388 and ANSI 105 cut level scores, designed for industrial and material handling applications.
• Single-Use Disposable Gloves Disposable gloves for medical examination, food processing, laboratory, and general purpose applications, including the EBT (Eco Best Technology) biodegradable nitrile range.
• General Purpose Gloves General purpose protective gloves for industrial, assembly, and material handling use cases.
• MFT PRO Series Performance-focused glove series featuring engineered yarn and microfiber technology, including models 344 and 381 with features such as Natural Rubber Palm Coating, seamless knit, microfiber, thin finger thickness, embossed microporous nitrile coating, optimal liner design, and engineered yarn.
• Sentinel by SHOWA Hand Protection Program Comprehensive hand protection evaluation program offering on-site surveys, personalized consultations, and 4-week trial programs for organizations with at least 150 glove users to optimize workplace safety.
• ChemRest Chemical Protection Platform Full chemical protection service platform with dedicated technology and product range for chemical-resistant gloves, providing comprehensive chemical safety solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 22% of all occupational accidents involve hand injuries, making them the most common type of injury besides back strains

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KPMGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024KPMG assisted SHOWA in completing its first double materiality assessment (DMA) in 2024, working with Zeroboard to identify sustainability issues that matter most to the business and stakeholders. This partnership supports SHOWA's preparation for alignment with Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) global standards.
• ZeroboardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Zeroboard partnered with SHOWA for sustainability assessment and reporting alignment, helping identify material sustainability topics and preparing the company for CSRD compliance disclosures.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Top Glove Corporation: World's largest glove manufacturer, particularly strong in disposable nitrile and latex gloves. Directly competes with SHOWA in single-use nitrile where SHOWA's Fayette expansion is targeted.
• UVEX Safety Group: German-headquartered PPE maker with a strong industrial glove portfolio, particularly in cut and chemical resistance. Competes with SHOWA in European industrial safety channels.
• Ansell: Global leader in industrial and medical hand protection, with overlapping product lines in chemical, cut and single-use gloves. Ansell is SHOWA's most direct and largest competitor in the same core glove categories and customer segments.
• Kossan Rubber Industries: Malaysian-based manufacturer of disposable and industrial gloves. Direct competitor in nitrile and latex glove categories, with similar manufacturing geography to SHOWA.
• Hartalega Holdings: Malaysian nitrile glove manufacturer known for high-volume, technologically advanced production. Competes head-to-head with SHOWA in disposable nitrile and shares Malaysian manufacturing exposure.
• Superior Glove Works: North American manufacturer specializing in industrial work gloves including cut-resistant and high-performance coatings. Closely comparable in product mix and target industrial customers.

Broad incumbents

• Honeywell International: Industrial conglomerate whose PPE segment offers gloves, eye/face protection and fall protection. Competes with SHOWA through integrated safety programs for large enterprise customers.
• 3M: Diversified industrial and safety conglomerate with a broad PPE portfolio that includes protective gloves alongside respirators, eyewear and hearing protection. Competes via bundled safety solutions and global channel reach.
• Kimberly-Clark Professional: Major manufacturer of hygiene and safety products including KleenGuard-branded gloves. Competes with SHOWA in single-use and industrial glove categories within broader facility-hygiene portfolios.

Emerging players

• Shamrock Manufacturing: US-based importer and supplier of branded industrial gloves and PPE. Comparable as a channel competitor in North American industrial safety distribution, though not a manufacturer at SHOWA's scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/showagroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SHOWA Group