Modern Plastics, a Shelton company started in 1945, has changed the way it operates and is retrofitting the plant to join the fight against COVID-19.

Before the pandemic, Modern Plastics focused on manufacturing plastic sheets, rods, tubes and film, as well as products used for hip and knee replacements.

"We're celebrating 75 years of business in 2020... it actually started as a glass company," president Bing Carbone says.

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Now, the company has a whole division dedicated to making personal protective equipment, including face shields, intubation closures, plastic barriers and ear savers.

"It was costly, to do it, but we did it in a matter of 36 hours," Carbone says.

Carbone says the shift began in March when he saw the need for PPE and wanted to do something to help. A Facebook post he made in March about the mass production of PPE was widely shared. Since then, Modern Plastics has produced more than 13 million face shields.

"That afternoon, I had our first order for 1 million face shields," he says.

Bing says his team of 25 employees has grown by more than 250.

"This is not about the company…this is not about me, this is about the health care responders, the first responders, the doctors, the nurses," he told News 12. "We have been so humbled by the response that we have received for going into this business and helping fight the situation."

Carbone has also been donating much of the PPE to first responders and health care workers in the state.