Condom Giant Karex Hikes Prices as Iran-Linked Disruptions Roil Supply
Malaysia’s Karex, the world’s largest condom maker and a supplier to brands like Durex and Trojan, says it will raise prices by up to 30% due to higher raw-material costs and shipping disruptions tied to the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz. Producing about five billion condoms a year and accounting for roughly a fifth of global supply, Karex cites surging costs for inputs such as nitrile, synthetic rubber, packaging and other materials—some up as much as 100%—and warns that a prolonged conflict could ripple through its factories or halt production. The company employs about 3,000 people in Malaysia and Thailand, notes rising demand in developing countries, and points to past AIDS-prevention program funding cuts; in Malaysia, a three-pack of its One brand costs about 9 ringgit.
