Thomas Dahbura and Kelly M. Schulz watched a batch of window clings roll off a Hub City Labels press Tuesday afternoon.

Dahbura is president of Hub Labels on Shawley Drive outside of Hagerstown. He spent some time Tuesday explaining how his company made those labels.

Schulz is secretary of the Maryland Department of Commerce and a partner in the label-making. She was there to say thanks.

The window clings feature the state flag and the words "Proud to be Safely Open. Maryland Open for Business." They are part of the effort to help Maryland's economy safely recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another part of that effort includes a "Maryland Strong: Back to Business Pledge" that businesses can take, promising they will follow safety protocols to help fight the pandemic. Those protocols include promoting social distancing, cleaning and disinfecting and providing flexibility for employees, among other steps.

In an interview at Hub Labels on Tuesday, Schulz said advisory groups have helped set best practices for businesses in different sectors, such as office work and manufacturing.

"We needed the employees to be safe," she said. "We needed the general public to be safe."

She also said employees need to feel safe in returning to their workplaces. And members of the public need to feel safe when they go to stores and other businesses.

"These window clings, along with the business pledge, offer much needed assurance in knowing that a business is taking the steps to adhere to health protocols and offer a safe environment for customers," Schulz said in a prepared statement.

She said the Department of Commerce is spreading the word through other means as well, such as public service announcements that promote safe practices to fight COVID-19.

According to Hub Labels, the company partnered with the Department of Commerce to make 10,000 of the window clings. The clings do not need adhesive to stay on the glass.

The clings will be distributed to each of the state’s 23 counties and the city of Baltimore.

In an interview, Dahbura called it a "sign of confidence" for consumers.

“Times are uncertain right now, for so many reasons, COVID-19 just being one of the factors. I want to make a difference, however big or small, to help our communities find a path forward to recovery," he said in a prepared statement.

Hub Labels makes pressure-sensitive and linerless labels for a variety of customers, including food and beverage businesses.

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