Retail counter protection shields
Protect staff and customers
We are actively producing acrylic screens in New Zealand for essential retail and medical point-of-sale counters to protect cashiers and customers from possibly infecting each other with the novel coronavirus.
The shield includes a small gap through which customers pay cashiers to help essential retailers and medical services to serve the public while still practising social distancing. We have been given the go ahead by MBIE to produce under the exemption of being a critical supplier.
For any questions please call 0800 288 7467.
Retail counter protection shields made in New Zealand
Flatpack Delivery New Zealand Wide
Contactless delivery with film on acrylic panels for your protection
Super easy to install - remove film and slide main panel into leg supports
Transaction gap for eftpos payments (175/300mm high with various widths)
Made from acrylic/perspex (with 6mm or 8mm options to choose from)
Stands 1000mm high to protect from sneezes and coughs
Customise the width to suit your counter (options from 500mm to 1000mm)
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Retail Protective Shields In The Waikato
Retailers and other essential businesses across New Zealand are taking super precautionary measures to protect both their staff and customers from potentially infecting each other with the novel coronavirus, during this unprecedented time of a nationwide lockdown.
As the weeks have ticked by, there has been much anticipation of when businesses that are currently shut will gain more freedom to operate, and what measures they must comply with in order to do so.
On Thursday 16th April, after three weeks of a full-blown countrywide lockdown, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed a clearer picture of what life would look like once we eventually move to a Level Three Alert, explaining that; “Alert Level 3 will see many significant restrictions on New Zealanders’ movements retained, but will permit aspects of the economy to reopen in a safe way that will allow the economic recovery to begin.”
In simple terms, this means that all businesses that are able to function safely with minimal physical and face-to-face contact, and put extreme hygiene methods in place, would be allowed to open up.
Right from the beginning of this pandemic, however, the biggest question that all businesses (particularly those deemed ‘essential’) faced was how to actually go about safely interacting with customers as they moved through stores and eventually paid for their goods.
Although, for example, every supermarket is restricting the number of people allowed inside at once, shortening business hours, taping crosses and lines on the floor to help customers understand where they can and cannot stand, and providing hand sanitiser and wipes for trolley handles, the use of acrylic shields around the counters and tills has been a welcomed addition and solution.
Cut-to-size Acrylic
Acrylic shields are one of the most effective ways to stop droplets from spreading the virus through accidental sneezes and coughs, as well as general conversation.
As soon as the idea for the shields came to pass in New Zealand, the demand for manufacturers soared. Now, with Level Three appearing to be in closer range than it was three weeks ago, there is no doubt there will be an increasing need for screens in every store and operational business as New Zealanders make the shift.
BoardAtHome, Hamilton manufacturers of work-from-home furniture and commercial safety screens, were honoured to play a role in helping protect the public during this nationwide crisis. Right now, they are actively working with Cutshop Waikato in making acrylic screens to help medical and essential retail point-of-sale counters.
The staff at Cooks Beach General Store are very pleased with their screen, gratefully telling us they feel ‘so much safer at work now’!
The idea to jump on board with this came about from a conversation between Keith (from Cutshop Waikato) and his wife Louise. Louise works in a pharmacy, and expressed how she felt exposed to germs across the counter. Quite rightly, she didn’t want to potentially be part of community transmission, and so wanted to know if there was anything Keith could do to help protect her and her colleagues.
This is where the first screen was produced, and was very well received. One of her colleagues commented:
“Having only worked in pharmacy for 6 months, I am very conscious of being susceptible to the many germs that are around! So when covid 19 came down, I quickly started wearing a mask and stepping back from the counter but still felt exposed. What if someone coughed or sneezed, there was nothing to prevent that from reaching me! I am extremely relieved we now have a wonderful acrylic protection shield from Board At Home”
Hygiene Screens At VTNZ
VTNZ are one of the essential businesses still operating, with 33 of their 85 locations still running in order to service essential vehicles. Lewis Brown, from The Home Team Property Services, was approached by VTNZ (his client), with requests to source screens that were high quality and durable, to install in their locations.
Constantly interacting with people who are allowed to be on the move created a sense of urgency for the project. Lewis and his team have worked in all kinds of interior renovations across the board, mostly in the commercial sector, but this was the first time they’d been asked to source such a product.
Lewis had had much experience with Cutshop in the past with various other projects - particularly with cabinetry - and so had no hesitation approaching them to help with the screens. He felt confident he’d get what he needed, telling Simon from Cutshop Mt Wellington that he wanted screens that were visually high-end, could stand being flat packed and shipped nationwide with no issues, and were thicker than some of the flimsier models seen elsewhere.
“The screens have to sit on narrow counter tops. We didn’t want something too light weight so that the wind could blow them over, also we didn’t want to damage the counter tops by having to use fixings to hold in position. They exceeded my expectations, the team is easy to deal with, and it’s amazing how the programmers can turn basic sketches into reality.”
Top notch timing and great value
Simon was quick to jump on board with the production of the hygiene screens, and the production line has been very smooth thus far. He and the team made one prototype, after a minor adjustment to the design to improve the stability the sample was approved, Lewis has been super complimentary of the work completed.
“When we all go back to level three on Tuesday 28 April, most people will feel safer behind a screen.”
A humbling collaboration
With so much uncertainty hovering over New Zealand’s immediate future, the continuation of the sourcing of these screens is something Lewis is open to from other/future clients.
As with many businesses across the country, Lewis’s company was worried about having no business lined up for months.
Then, in the blink of an eye, things changed when VTNZ wanted to join in with installing screens.
Lewis is eternally grateful for this opportunity, as are the team at Cutshop, however, the most humbling part is that the work being produced is for the greater good of the public.
