As the third wave of the pandemic subsides and Indian corporates and other organisations start to prepare for reopening their offices, they are investing in procuring Covid safety products like walk-in disinfectant tunnels, rapid testing kits, as well as PPE products like coveralls, face shields, gloves and masks for their employees’ use. BuyHive, the leading global platform for tech-enabled B2B sourcing said that it has seen orders for PPEs and other Covid-related safety products from India jump a whopping 1,000% in the last month alone.
Minesh Pore, Co-founder and CEO of BuyHive says, “Businesses in travel, hospitality, retail and other sectors that receive a large number of customer footfalls are the biggest buyers of preventive PPEs, as they are wary of the third wave and want to protect and safeguard their employees and customers.”
BuyHive works with several of the world’s top suppliers of PPE and other medical equipment and has shipped PPE orders worth over ₹126 crore to buyers around the world. Its clients include the NHS in UK, Austin Emergency Supply Foundation and VNS New York in the US, and Hemkunt Foundation, Moglix and Meddo in India.
Unlike other B2B e-commerce or sourcing portals, BuyHive carefully selects and vets suppliers before they are allowed to list and take orders on the platform. “Our model of working only with trusted partners helps us ensure that every product we source and ship can meet the highest quality standards from anywhere in the world,” Minesh adds.
According to BuyHive, the top five suppliers of PPE, healthcare and medical equipment in terms of orders are:
1. INTCO for PPE Products
Based in Zibo, China, INTCO Medical is a high-tech manufacturing company and one of the most reputed global suppliers of medical consumables and durable medical equipment. The company is listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange and has 10 factories for manufacturing medical consumables, rehabilitation equipment and products for physical therapy and medical or home care.
2. KishKinda Group for Coveralls
Delhi-based Kishkinda Group is a major manufacturer of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) products, including Isolation Gowns, Coveralls, Surgical Gowns, Face Masks including N-95 masks, Safety Shoes, Safety Vests and other Safety Clothing. Their products are widely used in the medical and healthcare, retail and hospitality, mining, construction, chemical and steel industries. KishKinda Group has three warehouses in the US and one in Germany. The company was among the first suppliers of PPE kits to the Chinese government in the early days of the pandemic.
3. New Gene for Test Kits
Based in Hangzhou, China, New Gene Bioengineering is a high-tech research and manufacturing company that is a leading global supplier of advanced testing kits, including those for detecting Covid-19 virus and Covid-19 antibodies. The company’s latest product is Covid-19 Neutralizing Antibody detection kit. New Gene has inhouse capabilities for developing biological materials such as antigens and antibodies, in vitro diagnostic reagents and related devices, and also the entire industrial chain layout of Artificial Intelligence (AI) assisted diagnosis systems. The company has made unique technological breakthroughs in the domains of early cancer screening, rapid detection of infectious diseases, and rapid screening of geriatric diseases.
4. airDefender for Disinfectants
Florida, US-headquartered airDefender was born in the aftermath of the 2003 SARS outbreak in Hong Kong. The company sells highly advanced sanitization and disinfectant solutions with applications in offices, public spaces, public transportation and homes. airDefender has developed and patented several technical innovations that are part of their products today. In 2020, airDefender was announced the winner of Hong Kong Emerging Brand for its technology.
5. Owgels for Oxygen Concentrators and other breathing equipment
Guangzhou, China-based Owgels group is a leading supplier of medical oxygen generators and concentrators built with German technology. The group specializes in R&D and production of oxygen concentrators, nebulizers, ventilators and other breathing medical equipment. While Owgels’ oxygen concentrators are sold around the world, the brand has also gained wide awareness in India during the second wave of the pandemic.