KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — Men can now measure their penis and buy condoms at the right size online from Malaysian company Karex, the world’s biggest condom manufacturer.
Karex CEO MK Goh told The Irish Times that this was a key area for growth in ecommerce, as there is currently little demand online due to easy access to condoms.
“Men come in all shapes and sizes, though, and so now through us online they can buy condoms in the same way that women buy bras. They can download a measuring device that lets them measure their length and girth to find the right size and then order condoms through us,” Goh was quoted saying.
“This works well online partly because men can be more honest about what size they are but also because you can’t usually get irregular sizes offline. We have 66 sizes of custom-fit condoms available but I can’t find a retailer that will stock them all, so online is a good place to sell them,” he added.
The Irish Times reported that Karex recorded US$92 million (RM395 million) of revenue in its last financial year and produced last year about five billion condoms for export to more than 120 countries. Karex was reportedly responsible for almost 17 per cent of all condoms made globally.
The Malaysian company is now reportedly planning to produce seven billion condoms by the end of the year. Karex had only produced three billion annually before its listing on the Malaysian stock exchange in late 2013.
Goh — who got involved in the family business at 12 after his father encountered financial problems that led to his family losing their home and having to live in the factory -- said he has upset some people through his educational work on sexual wellness and his support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
“Malaysia is a country that does not give full rights to all communities, so people sometimes frown at what I do, but there haven’t been protests outside our factories or anything like that,” he said.
Goh reportedly said he soon discovered that condoms were his passion, even though he had entered the family business reluctantly after his father died unexpectedly.
“My dad’s original intention was for me not go into the business, and it was really more of an obligation that brought me into it. I couldn’t have possibly imagined then that this obligation would turn out to be something I’d end up loving doing, but it did. Selling condoms is really about saving lives, and 1½ grams of rubber can change the world, so doing this has given me a mission,” he was quoted saying.
The Irish Times reported that Karex had its own brands, besides producing condoms for companies like Durex. Last year, Karex acquired the UK’s biggest condom maker, Pasante, making it responsible for the production of almost 80 per cent of condoms distributed by the UK’s National Health Service.
Goh reportedly said there has been lots of innovation in condoms in recent years in terms of their shapes, sizes, textures and materials.
“No one walks into an ice cream parlour and just wants vanilla any more. People want different variations and it is the same with condoms. In mature markets people are no longer as focused on safety, it is all about pleasure.
“In addition, women are now bigger buyers of condoms and they don’t necessarily want the same things as men. Asia, meanwhile, is a huge market for extremely thin condoms,” Goh was quoted saying.
