Courtesy photo Rick Benoit Sr., right, and a customer are separated by a sneeze guard made by Benoit’s Glass & Lock.

ESCANABA — Though its primary lines of business have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Escanaba business Benoit’s Glass & Lock has been managing to stay busy at this time.

Owner Rick Benoit said his business has been able to remain open despite Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order.

“We’re locksmiths, so we are an essential business,” he said.

However, Benoit said demand for the business’ normal services has been low as of late.

“Pretty much everything we’re doing’s all emergency work,” he said.

According to Benoit, the business’ locksmithing work has been down by about 75 percent.

Because of this, and to keep its employees occupied, Benoit’s Glass & Lock has been manufacturing clear polycarbonate sneeze guards for area businesses. It had made sneeze guards in the past, but demand for the sneeze guards has increased significantly in recent weeks.

“It just really upgraded since this happened,” Benoit said.

The sneeze guards can help to minimize the risk of infection for customers and employees of the businesses using them.

“(Employees) can be face-to-face with a customer and not actually making any contact with them,” Benoit said.

Benoit’s Glass and Lock has made sneeze guards for a wide variety of businesses, including Elmer’s County Market, Holiday Stationstores in the Upper Peninsula, lawyers, accountants and doctor’s and dentist’s offices. Benoit said it has made “well over 200” sneeze guards since the lockdown began.

As many local businesses have been shut down due to the pandemic, Benoit said demand for the sneeze guards may continue to increase in the future.

“When they do decide to open everything up again … they’re all going to want to protect their employees and their customers,” he said.

Along with making sneeze guards, employees at Benoit’s Glass & Lock have been doing maintenance work.

“We’re doing clean-up around the shop and painting … just keeping the guys busy,” Benoit said.