Health

Everett company makes glass shields to protect businesses and customers

EVERETT, Mass. — As more and businesses get back to work under Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s reopening plan, many will be forced to change how they do business.

A small company in Everett is helping businesses and customers stay safe when doing so.

John Perrino and his crew are busy inside their manufacturing plant making a new product, a product they never anticipated making just a few weeks ago.

“When I started seeing all these shields going up I was like these are horrible they are just very messy and not clean,” Perrino said.

Perrino operates Ultimate Windows, Inc., a family-owned window manufacturing company that’s been in business for 30 years. The COVID-19 pandemic has allowed them to tackle new projects. Instead of just traditional windows, the company is now making and installing safety glass shields for clients. They include law offices and several restaurants and a pizza shop.

“If you’re working behind the counter and running around and that shield is in place you don’t have to worry about if someone comes in without a mask or if someone comes in unexpectedly and you left your mask in the backroom. There’s a layer of protection between you and the customer,” Perrino commented.

Perrino and his team also recently designed and donated intubation boxes, including one they made for a nurse at Boston Children’s Hospital. They’re made from the same polycarbonate material as the safety shields, which are becoming the new norm.

“If someone comes into your office and they’re not wearing a mask, which I see all the time, it just makes it a lot easier,” Perrino said.

Each glass shield can cost up to several hundred dollars, depending on the size.

They are not permanent and are not screwed into the counter so they can eventually be removed.

Download the free Boston 25 News app for up-to-the-minute push alerts

>> Complete local and national coronavirus coverage here

RESOURCES:

- Massachusetts Coronavirus Information

- Boston Coronavirus Information

- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Watch Boston 25 NOW

- Download our free apps for your phone and smart TV