Summer 2020: gazebos and retractable tunnels for queueing customers
Just a little over three months after the outbreak of the pandemic, Italy continues to reckon with the effects of the new precautionary anti-contagion measures, such as social distancing.
Doing the weekly shop is still a problem because of the long queues, as supermarkets continue to limit the number of customers in order to guarantee a higher level of safety and keep a minimum distance of one meter between people. Many supermarkets offered online shopping services that often proved to be unsuccessful due to long delivery times.
Additionally, Italians still prefer to go shopping in person, despite the inconvenience of long waiting times.
Several apps have been created to help estimate the waiting times of the various sales outlets, but they are based on feedback from the users of the service and, as a result, are not very reliable.
Therefore, the problem of queues outside of supermarkets and offices is still a big issue, especially for the children and the elderly. If it is impossible to avoid the formation of queues, it is certainly possible to alleviate the inconvenience caused by this problem.
A great way to do so is to create an outdoor courtesy area (an area sheltered from sun and rain) by putting up temporary shading structures.
Don't leave your customers out in the sun or the rain!
The most common solution would be to use our classic professional marquees for events arranged in a row. However, it may not be suitable in certain situations, for example when queues are formed in places where there would be problems with taking up the ground. It also requires the assistance of trained personnel for the installation.
There is a more practical solution: specifically for waiting queues, we have developed a retractable tunnel that is approximately 1.5 m wide and 2.5 m tall.
It is delivered already assembled and is very easy to open, close, and move as required. So, in this case, the installation won't cost you anything. The length is variable and the structure can include lateral emergency exits.
The shading fabric, which usually covers the entire arch, in this particular solution is limited to the upper part to ensure optimal air circulation, and can also be customised with brand logos and advertising graphics.
Like all the Giulio Barbieri retractable tunnels, this tunnel is also made of aluminium profiles and fireproof PVC fabric.
"After the outbreak of the pandemic, when every national and international event was cancelled, we could have never imagined that our partners in the facility rental industry would continue to receive requests. Numerous administrations and supermarkets have turned to them looking for the rental of these awnings and offer some shade to all their customers who have to queue in the sun or rain for a long time," says Giulio Barbieri. "We are very happy to assist the country in overcoming this difficult period with the help of our products.
And our work doesn't end here. A few months ago, a report done by the television program "Le Iene" informed the country that our company immediately converted to produce the Sanitary Gate, a sanitising tunnel with an integrated spraying system. After about two months of research carried out in collaboration with various partner companies in the chemical industry, we were able to produce an disinfectant solution to spray on people without posing any health risks. We tested it at our company, carrying out the tests in vivo using the tunnel, and we proved that it takes only 5 seconds of exposure to the sanitising spray to reduce the viral load by up to 99%. We can therefore offer both a shelter to the people waiting in the queue and the safety of being able to enter with fully sanitised clothes and trolleys."
The summer has just started and we all want to spend it in a serene and safe environment. Our gazebos, retractable tunnels, and sanitising tunnels are our contribution to helping people follow the safety measures to prevent contagion and get through this difficult moment without uncertainty.
