Georgia cornhole company making face shields for frontline workers

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — West Georgia Cornhole, based in Douglas County, is a premier maker of custom cornhole boards in the country.

But now it is using the same equipment to build equipment for frontline workers in Georgia.

From 7 a.m. to midnight, owner Brandon Greeba has 18 employees churning out cornhole boards and face shield masks.

A friend in the medical community reached out to Greeba and asked if he could outfit his machines to build medical facial shields.

“The first order was about 10,000 and they are telling me about up to 250,000," Greeba told Channel 2 sports director Zach Klein.

”So we are preparing and getting materials ready – materials are a challenge because everyone is wanting to do this in their communities."

Greeba started West Georgia Cornhole out of a hobby to create boards for family Christmas presents. He began in 2013 with just one part-time employee at his side.

Now seven years later, Greeba’s 16,000-square foot warehouse in Winston employs 25 men and women.

“We are doing anywhere between 200 sets a week. Back in 2013, maybe 200 a month. It’s quite a difference.”

You need space to build a quarter million masks, which makes the 16,000 warehouse a good place to do it.

One section has cornhole boards. Another section will have protective shield parts. Then there are sections where boards are being made right next to the machines that are cutting the plastic shields.

“We are retooling on these masks. So the guys kind of got excited about the masks to help out the cause and try to end this, So they jumped on board. I’m kind of proud of that too. It’s been fun."

A CO2 laser that was originally used to cut wood products is now used to cut 40, 2 x 4 plastic sheets that will be used on the front of the shields.

“There is film on the front and the back so it gets peeled off and the end unit is a nice clean sheet.”

The clean sheets are just one part of the process, as they are connected by a Velcro strip to the front of the shield.

The white plastic front, starts out firm and straight, but after being placed in a custom mold, it spends three minutes on a conveyor belt under 400-degree temperatures.

The shape can be changed to fit the front of the workers mask. Greeba hopes his company and employees will be able to make 10,000 shields a week.

“They’ve been busting their tail to keep the lights on and keep their job and keep moving forward.. We make everything in house and it’s all made in these walls," he said.

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