Clear sheet producers, fabricators rallied for barrier-buying frenzy

When lead times were months out for acrylic and polycarbonate clear barriers, Palram Americas Inc. converted a foam PVC production line to produce a new transparent PVC sheet that could also slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

The Lehigh Valley, Pa.-based subsidiary of Palram Industries invested in blending and process equipment to make its Palclear IND-brand sheets in a variety of thicknesses to meet new and immediate needs for protective barriers.

The company also increased production of its Palsun-brand PC products.

Grocery stores, pharmacies, home improvement retailers, meat processing plants and transit authorities all over the world had just put a big dent in the global supply of clear sheet. They urgently needed virus-blocking barriers and face shields to protect their workforces thrust onto the front lines of the fast-spreading respiratory illness.

When it came time to reopen other phases of the economy, dentist offices, restaurants, libraries and hair salons took similar steps. And then the schools and universities began looking to the industry to help them return to classrooms in the fall.

The performance plastics sector found itself scrambling to add capacity and supply products. Both Henagar, Ala.-based Polymer Industries and Vycom Plastics, a subsidiary of Azek Co., which didn't produce see-through materials, also brought up lines to produce clear sheet.

The rapid response of clear sheet producers and fabricators to the pandemic resulted in new products for doctors to examine patients, stylists to cut hair, nail technicians to give manicures, families to hug loved ones in nursing homes, golfers to share carts and the list goes on.

"It's really a credit to our industry and our distributors that they recognized a need and came up with products to meet the particular applications," said Craig Saunders, president of the International Association of Plastics Distribution and director of supplier relations and logistics for Irving, Texas-based North American Plastics.

"The end user may not have known what they really needed, but the people in our industry identified it and came up with a lot of creative solutions to provide barriers and protection for different industries," he said in a phone interview.

For example, Palram says its Palclear IND clear sheet is an excellent alternative to other materials, and unlike acrylic, it is shatter-proof, won't craze with repeated sanitation, is self-extinguishing and offers a long life cycle.

Palram also introduced Palclad Pro HYG wall covering, which it describes as silver ion-infused, antimicrobial panels that improve bacterial and viral infection control. The company says that in clinical testing, the panels destroyed up to 99.9 percent of pathogens on their surfaces within 24 hours.

Palram typically manufactures semifinished extruded thermoplastic sheets, panel systems and finished products for the construction, architectural design, advertising, agricultural, glazing, fabrication and transportation industries. But now it has a new "fighting COVID-19" product line of PC and PVC protective barriers — clear, translucent and opaque — face shields, sneeze guards, antimicrobial walls and interlocking PVC panels.

As an essential manufacturer, Palram continues to be a key player in the protection materials supply chain throughout the pandemic, Daniel Rustin, industrial plastics division business unit manager, told Plastics News.

"On one hand, some elements of our day to day have become more challenging. Customers need product faster than ever before, sales reps are traveling less and trade shows are either totally canceled or virtual," Rustin said. "On the other hand, the Palram team has adapted extremely well to the circumstances, and we've come to embrace our role as an essential company who really makes a difference in the fight against COVID-19. We've seen increased productivity, a work mentality shift from traditional approaches to more digital-savvy strategies and a morale boost among our employees who are proud to see the positive impacts that our products are making throughout the world."

Back in the spring, the first nonessential tier of businesses preparing to reopen were looking at anticipated delivery dates in November for clear sheet products. Global demand for clear sheet had doubled from the prior year.

Then inquiries from universities and school systems poured in as educators began planning how to keep students safe should in-person learning be allowed.

"At that point, our industry didn't know how long this would go," Saunders said. "The traditional acrylic producers were running every line available. However, it wasn't enough, and nobody brought on excess capacity."

The companies that make foamed PVC products for signs, retail applications and trade show exhibits stepped in.

"That industry has just dried up," Saunders said. "They were able to convert some capacity to produce clear materials, not nearly as clear as acrylic or PC, but it did serve a purpose."

The alternative worked for Kelly D'Anna, the owner of Strandz Salon in Newington, Conn. She had two weeks to accommodate eight stylists who had independent stations and shared two shampooing sinks — none of which were 6 feet apart.

D'Anna worked with a local fabricator who had access to Vintec-brand PVC sheets by Vycom. The panels were hung with steel chains and S-hooks in the reception area and between styling and shampooing stations.

D'Anna said the barriers look clean and professional and the slight blue tint of the material keeps people from bumping into them.

"Before customers even enter the salon, they can see the barriers and be confident that we're doing all we can to keep everyone safe," D'Anna said in a Vycom case study.

The acrylic shortage was exacerbated by a decade of declining use. The material had been popular for retail signs, point-of-purchase displays and store fixtures, but demand waned as online shopping increased.

Acrylic orders then shot up during the spring frenzy of businesses buying strong, clear, high-impact barriers to separate cashiers and customers.

Architectural Plastics in Petaluma, Calif., went from fabricating acrylic wine racks and display cases to face masks and then plastic barriers for banks, restaurants and casinos.

Newman Signs in Jamestown, N.D., repurposed its acrylic cutting equipment from producing signs to barriers to meet brisk demand from all over the country, including the U.S. Postal Service and medical offices.

In Oklahoma City, Allied Plastic Supply, a plastic fabricator and manufacturer, came up with a new product: barriers with holes just large enough for customers to put their hands through to the nail technician on the other side. Inquiries from the public library and a casino followed.

San Diego Plastics created plastic barriers for a local hospital, area Popeyes chicken outlets and the cars of Uber drivers, while in Kearny Mesa, Calif., ePlastics, a sheet, rod and tube fabricator, worked with local hospital officials to develop an acrylic box with an opening to put a shield between patients and doctors.

"We're creating things every day that are different, and that's an important part of our country and an important part of our history, and it should be an important part of our future," General Manager John Short told NBC San Diego.

In the summer, some manufacturers forecast that demand would remain strong through this year and through the first quarter of next year.

However, the expectation that orders from schools and universities would climb in the August to September time frame never materialized.

"We did see that in different parts of the country, but not across the board. A lot of schools adapted or went hybrid or they're not back at all," Saunders said.

Overall demand for clear sheet has slowed quite a bit going into the fourth quarter, Saunders said, and the latest speculation is the industry may return back to normal.

"Imagine big-box stores like Walmart that came in March and ordered 36,000 sheets of acrylic just for their pharmacies. I doubt you'll see those spikes going forward," Saunders said.

Most retailers and businesses now have some type of clear barrier.

"At some point there could be a replacement of those barriers with something that's more permanent," Saunders said. "But to say demand will return to where it was in March, April, May and June I'd say is unlikely."

In the meantime, lead times for clear sheet have come down to a more reasonable five to six weeks, compared with 26 weeks in August, Saunders said, adding it's possible that significant orders were canceled by distributors.

Going forward, retailers and service businesses whose employees deal with the public will most likely continue to use plastic sheet for rolling barriers, fixed barriers and three-sided desk barriers as part of the new norm.

"This could be a new retail application for acrylic or PC," Saunders said.

Also, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ruled that its regulation prohibiting anything to the right or left of bus drivers doesn't apply to clear partitions. Many transit authorities started installing PC sheet to the right of drivers to minimize their contact with passengers.

"Now bus manufacturers are installing PC sheet as a standard feature on new buses," Saunders said.

In addition, the Food and Drug Administration gave clearance to use glycol-modified PET, which is strong and easy to fabricate, for barriers at food-processing plants.

And it's likely that the acrylic and PC barriers installed early on will need to be replaced if the proper cleaners aren't being used.

"Traditional cleaners are effective for most surfaces, but not acrylic and PC. They cause the material to degrade and haze up over time," Saunders said. "There are products specifically designed to clean acrylic and PC, and maybe they're being used. But I have seen store clerks use the chemicals for the cashier belt on the clear plastic barrier, so no doubt there will be replacement of existing barriers due to degradation of the sheets over time."

When the barriers are replaced, businesses also may look for better solutions, such as barriers coated for chemical resistance or with antimicrobial technology.

"It's amazing how manufacturers and distributors in the performance plastics industry pivoted and adjusted their businesses to meet demand in a very, very short amount of time," Saunders said. "I can't imagine how we could have adapted to address the current needs quicker than we did."