Business is booming for SoHo plastics shop creating face shields and sneeze guards

NEW YORK - Plexiglass has become the most in-demand material of the coronavirus pandemic, as offices, taxi drivers, and grocery stores install the protective barrier to protect workers from customers.

In Canal Plastics Center in SoHo, the custom plastics maker is fielding an influx of orders for sneeze guards.

“For custom sneezeguard orders, we’re selling about 20 per day,” said Assistant Manager Brett Beres. “And for the pre-made, pre-designed ones we have available on our website, about 10 per day.”

And that demand is continuing to build, Beres said. The company’s customer base used to be artists and contractors pre-pandemic, now they are filling orders for everyone from doctor’s offices to retailers to nail salons, as businesses rush to implement safety measures for employees and customers.

“It’s not just limited to people who interact with the public and customers,” Beres said. “It’s people who are interacting with one another in an office.”

Canal Plastics’ pre-made acrylic sneeze guards start around $110 each, and custom orders go up from there.

As New Yorkers attempt to adjust to the new normal, the company’s employees are working overtime to help their fellow businesses get back on their feet. Workers can turn orders around in as little as 2-3 days, and say they don’t see business slowing down anytime soon.