Surge in demand for gloves giving rise to new billionaires in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur

IT'S BEEN a good year for glove companies and their founders. Malaysia, a country that produces about 65 per cent of the world's supply for rubber gloves, now counts at least four billionaires whose fortunes were made in the industry, including two new ones this year alone.

Thai Kim Sim of Supermax Corp was the latest to join the club, with a net worth estimated at about US$1 billion at the stock's high earlier this month, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.