Glass Companies Help Prevent COVID-19 Spread Using Checkout Shields, Sneeze Guards

Many glass companies are stepping up to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 at their local retailers. They’ve adapted, using materials already on hand, to install retail checkout shields which protect both employees and customers at essential locations.

Binswanger Glass has seen an increase in requests for retail checkout shields from car dealerships, pharmacies, grocery stores and gas stations. Most of the shields only will be up temporarily until the crisis has subsided, but they also can be installed permanently.

The shields are made with high strength acrylic or polycarbonate, rather than glass. Jason Tomlinson, branch manager for the company’s Topeka, Kan., location, says polycarbonate can be manipulated in the shop quickly to fit the needs of its customers. The materials also are less likely to break, though they do scratch more easily, according to Charles Witherington, director of purchasing and pricing.

The materials are readily available from a number of suppliers, says Tomlinson, meaning it was easy to accommodate the new demand.

“Here in Topeka, Kan., we responded to the feedback from other branches across the country and came up with a solution that we can produce quickly,” he explains. “… Everything is very fluid right now, but we are all adapting to the best of our ability.”

Binswanger isn’t the only company adapting to help meet this need. MY Shower Door/D3 Glass in Fort Myers, Fla.; Robb’s Glass Inc. in Warsaw, N.Y.; and Paul’s Glass Co. in Turlock, Calif., are all creating similar products to meet market demand.