Signmakers develop ‘spray screens’ to protect staff

“These two local businesses hit us up saying they needed custom-made screens like at hospitals,” co-owner Nathan Sali said.

“We have the machinery to do it so we built the concept and here we are.”

Mr Sali said there was a desperate need for the screens across town.

“We've ended up calling them spray screens because when you speak, you spray,” he said.

“Plus people always tend to lean on a counter when they approach it.

“These offer a protective barrier between two people, so people feel more safe and comfortable, especially at this time.”

GV Signmakers has already created customised screens for eight clients - mainly medical centres and food suppliers - in the past eight days.

Not only is the local business playing its part in the fight against coronavirus.

Mr Sali said the screens were filling a revenue gap left by mass closures in hospitality, retail and events.

“It's a massive relief, as so many of our key clients have stopped business completely,” he said.

“Cafes, events and retailers made up about 30 per cent of our business and all of a sudden these industries were basically gone.

“Thankfully these screens have filled that 30 per cent.

“It just shows that as businesses, we need to be diversifying to get through this tough time.”

With eight local workers employed at GV Signmakers, Mr Sali hopes this boost in business will keep the entire team on the books.

“If we can do that, it would be brilliant,” he said.

“In fact, we hired two new blokes today who will be selling the screens down in Melbourne, so we're only growing.”

And it doesn't look like business will slow down any time soon.

“Our customers are saying they want to keep the screens there forever,” Mr Sali said with a laugh.

“They love them that much, they don't know why they didn't just have the screens to start with.”