Spartech’s Paulding, Ohio Plant Powers Up Plexiglass Production, Job Opportunities As Demand for Clear Protective Barriers Skyrocket During Coronavirus

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With demand for clear barriers increasing during the Coronavirus, Spartech’s Paulding, Ohio plant has swiftly pivoted to plexiglass, and now has plans to immediately hire over 20 new fulltime employees. Spartech, a leading manufacturer of engineered thermoplastics and custom packaging solutions, has 15 manufacturing facilities in the United States including three in Ohio.

“To meet the increased demand for clear barrier materials in combatting the Coronavirus, we were able to quickly adapt our processes to start producing plexiglass,” said Gary Buckland, Senior Plant Manager for Spartech’s Paulding plant. “As a result, we are looking at hiring over 20 new employees.”

Located in Northwest Ohio, Spartech’s Paulding plant normally produces various thermoplastic polymer and high impact polystyrene materials, not clear acrylic (plexiglass). But in the “new normal,” the Paulding team nimbly shifted to producing plexiglass, which is used for sneeze guards and other clear protective barriers at grocery stores, retail outlets, schools and municipalities. The plant has already converted two production lines for plexiglass and are in the process of converting at least one more line. In the meantime, business continues to accelerate. In fact, just since this program started two weeks ago, the plant has produced enough material to equip over 4,000 grocery store cashier lines.

“If I told our team earlier this spring that we would be making clear plastics, they would have said it cannot happen,” Buckland said. “But it is happening, and everyone is doing a great job stepping up to meet this demand. To survive and thrive in a crisis, sometimes you have to think outside the box. We have adapted to this new business environment and our ability to adapt, stay flexible and be creative has generated more job opportunities for our community.”

While the plant is looking to add 20 new employees, Buckland said that number could eventually climb to 40. Candidates with experience operating industrial equipment are encouraged to apply. Hourly starting pay ranges from $14 to $22 depending on the position and experience. Spartech’s Paulding plant operates on four shifts: two daytime and two night. For more information on Spartech employment opportunities, click here.

Spartech, which was designated as an essential business, conducts daily healthcare screenings for employees upon entering all of its plants. All employees have their temperatures taken before entering a facility, maintains an emphasis on social distancing, and must wear face masks. In addition, the plant has a rigorous disinfection program throughout the building.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri with a unique innovation center and 15 manufacturing facilities located throughout the United States, Spartech is a leading plastics manufacturer of engineered thermoplastic materials and specialty packaging products. Meeting the exact standards for everything from food packaging to aerospace and automotive applications, Spartech continues to make a world of difference with sustainable, diverse, reliable and innovative products including Royalite™, Korad™, PreservaPak™, and Polycast™. http://spartech.com/