Regina company able to stay in business thanks to ‘sneeze guards’

COVID-19 has been tough on Regina’s Lonnie Maier and Davey Plastics, just as it has been on other businesses.

Maier was on the verge of laying off workers due to the economic slowdown that has resulted from the pandemic.

But then an unexpected source of business came in the nick of time — Davey Plastics was asked to produce “sneeze guards,” the clear plastic screens that protect cashiers who still deal with customers on the job.

The guards have been installed at grocery stores, banks and liquor stores.

“That started a big (roll) here, getting a lot of sheets in, and we’ve been working almost around the clock here since,” Maier told the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Monday.

“There’s another company in Saskatoon that does the same as us. And they’re as busy as us.”

As expected, Maier’s staff members were happy to hear they would still be working.

“We’ll see where it goes from there. It’s hard to say what’s going to happen,” Maier said.

The company has been in business for 25 years.

Maier said the hardest thing about the pandemic has been when customers are not able to pay.

“We got a call here that we just lost $7,500 from somebody going down. That’s the concern right now, when you’ve got money out in the trade there … then all of a sudden you find out you’re not getting paid for it,” he said.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article stated the owner was Layne Maier not Lonnie. We regret the error.