The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A Bahamian manufacturer says it has been kept “pretty busy” by the demand from essential businesses for COVID-19 protective barriers to safeguard cashiers and other staff.

Matthew Lawrence, Nassau Plastics’ production manager, told Tribune Business that it has been producing the acrylic protective barriers since the pandemic and associated lockdown/shutdown hit.

“Mostly all we have been doing is making protective shields for everyone that has been open, like the banks, the pharmacies and a few food stores,” he said. “Business has been pretty good. The banks have kept us pretty busy because each teller has got to have one, and the pharmacies as well.

“It keeps us busy because what we’re offering is two options. We have some generic pre-made ones that have pre-set that sizes, as well as we can come to your location and custom fit. Obviously the custom fit ones are time consuming. So that has kept us busy over the last couple of weeks really.”

Mr Lawrence added: “We have an exemption to be open. We got one early on when they first did the curfew and this shut down. We are not encouraging any walk-in traffic. We are getting a lot of e-mails and calls to keep the foot traffic down.

“The banks were keeping us busy at first, but right now we are mostly with the pharmacies and a few other businesses that are anticipating opening in the near future. Even individuals like nail technicians and people that do the manicures and the custom nails, the pre-made ones are popular with them because they are quick and easy and affordable.”

Mr Lawrence explained that pre-made barriers are free standing, sitting on a countertop or desktop, and do not require any fastenings. They come in widths of 24, 30 and 36 inches.

All protective barriers are made in The Bahamas from raw materials shipped by Nassau Plastics’ Florida distributor. Mr Lawrence said: “Most of what they supply gets manufactured in Mexico, but as of late they have been getting them out of China.

“We don’t have the machines to convert them into what we need. We haven’t looked into it to be honest, but we have been looking into recycling for a long time. Like most things here when plastic is melted down and recycled, the uses become limited and the market here is so slim. There isn’t the volume to justify the expense.”

Nassau Plastics has been in business in The Bahamas since the early 1960s, having started as a shop making souvenirs.