Shropshire Star

Shrewsbury firm develops face shields to aid return to work

A family-run firm has developed face shields to aid the return to work for businesses.

Published
Face shield

Plastic-IT, based at Atcham Business Park, Shrewsbury, has recently been awarded funding towards designing, developing, prototyping and manufacturing face shields that can be used in a variety of environments from health care through to retail.

The funding was provided through the Government’s modern industrial strategy by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.

It comes as businesses across the region are preparing to open their doors again towards the middle of June and are busy implementing health and safety procedures to safeguard their employees and customers.

Plastic-IT said the Salutem Face Shield protects the wearer from any coughs or sneezes from other people from entering their nasal passage, mouth and most importantly, eyes.

They are lightweight and comfortable enabling them to be worn for extended periods. They also feature an anti-fog coating and an optically clear field of vision and is designed to be suitable for people who wear spectacles, the firm added.

Richard Webster, managing director of the firm, said: “After months of lockdown, businesses are understandably eager to open. With lead times on social distancing screens and other plastic protective screens getting ever longer as demand increases, a Salutem Face Shied will enable businesses to mobilise quickly and safely, giving confidence to both customers and employees. The shields offer the user protection at all times when they are worn.

“We have given samples of Salutem Face Shield to local NHS trusts, retailers and janitorial suppliers and the feedback has been very encouraging. Compared to other visors, we believe our Salutem Face Shield provides better protection from contracting the virus, is more comfortable to wear and offers a more cost-effective solution for employees returning to the workplace.”