Panel: Glove factory a good fit

By John Christian Hopkins
Diné Bureau

WINDOW ROCK — Delegate Charles Damon has a plan to bring some revenue to the Navajo Nation, and for success to be realized all you need is glove.

Damon (Breadsprings/Church Rock) received the blessing of the Budget & Finance Committee to use $700,000 from the Undesignated, Unreserved Fund for the construction of a building to be used in the manufacturing of rubber gloves.

"The Navajo Nation can profit from this," Damon said.

The company, to be called Navajo Safety Products, would be located on Lot 5 in the Church Rock Industrial Park.

Approximately 30 billion rubber gloves are used yearly in the United States alone, said Charlene Begay Platero, of the Economic Development office. On a wholesale level, the industry brings in $1.5 billion annually, she added.

The project carries a total price tag of $3.45 million. In order to qualify for a federal loan program, the tribe must show at least 20 percent equity in the project, Platero said. That amount would come out to $700,000, she said.

The glove plant would create approximately 80 new manufacturing jobs, and create other openings in packing and shipping, Platero said.

"We're anxious for this to go through," Damon said. The legislation had to be resubmitted because the title had to be changed to reflect the new year, he explained.

The Economic Development Committee and the Office of Management and Budget back the planned development, Platero said.

Most rubber gloves are made in countries where rubber is produced, such as Malaysia, Brazil and Singapore. There is one other rubber glove company in the U.S., and that is the one the Navajos would partner with, Platero said.

"Who's going to buy your rubber gloves?" asked committee member Jerry Bodie. "And what kind of commitment do you have from whoever that is?"

It's too early to have signed contracts in place, Platero said.

Because it would be tribally-owned, the plant would qualify as a disadvantaged business and be eligible for some of the $6 billion set aside by the federal government for contracting with Indian businesses. The business would seek contracts with Indian Health Services and the Department of Homeland Security, Platero said.

On a commercial level, it could also attempt to make contracts with hospitals, the food service industry, hospitals and janitorial services, she said.

But B & F member Ernest Hubbell wasn't convinced that the $700,000 would be a one time thing.

"Somebody's going to come back over saying 'We need more money to pave the parking lot'," Hubbell suggested.

Platero said they were working with the Eastern Agency regarding paving the lot.

The finance board passed Damon's legislation by a 4-1 tally.

— John Christian Hopkins can be reached at 1-505-371-5443, or by email at kingauthor24@frontiernet.net.