Storm Stoppers® pioneered the us

In 2004, Storm Stoppers® pioneered the use of corrugated plastic and 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners for hurricane protection. 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners are a high tensile strength matable fastener consisting of thousands of tiny, interlocking, mushroom-shaped, adhesive backed plastic fasteners. Dual Lock™ was created by 3M in the early 80’s.

HI TENSILE STRENGTH PLASTIC 3M DUAL LOCK™ FASTENERS ARE NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH LOW TENSILE STRENGTH HOOK AND LOOP FABRIC VELCRO®.

Since 1973, corrugated plastic has been used in the sign, plastic and packaging industries. However, until Storm Stoppers® were invented in September of 2004, no other company had promoted the unique combination of these 2 individual products for hurricane protection. Storm Stoppers® has pioneered a new industry, that of low cost hurricane protection, and continues to be the leader in Safe, Simple & Self-Installed Hurricane Protection, Hurricane Shutters and Window Protection!

Storm Stoppers® were invented in September of 2004 by Orlando entrepreneur John D. Smith. Mr. Smith, who moved to Orlando after dropping out of the Entrepreneurship MBA program at the University of Iowa, invented several collegiate products and started marketing them in 2000 under his Clever Covers, Inc. name brand. One of the products was called "Collegiate Hubcaps" and had colorful Officially Licensed Collegiate Logos screen printed onto PVC hubcaps for cars, pickup trucks, vans and golf cars' wheels. These hubcaps were held in place with 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners. Smith also invented Collegiate Licensed hand-held fans called "Clever Fan Waves" which were made out of 1/8" thick corrugated plastic. At its peak, Smith's company had over 20 colleges licensed and in 2002 Clever Covers, Inc. was featured on CNBC Squawk Box.

Flash forward to 2004. On August 13, 2004, Florida was hit by Hurricane Charley and Hurricanes Frances, Ivan & Jeanne were coming. Frustrated by the lack of plywood available, Smith used the 1/8^th inch thick corrugated plastic from his Clever Fan Waves, securing it to his home's windows with the 3M Dual Lock™ fasteners from his collegiate hubcaps. This new invention was used successfully on Smith's home during Hurricane Frances in early September 2004.

The week of September 7th 2004, Hurricane Ivan was approaching Florida and TV news stations were reporting that no plywood was available. In an effort to help others who could not lift or install plywood, Smith called reporter Bill Shafer at Orlando's WESH Channel 2 NBC affiliate and told him about his "plywood alternative" invention. On Thursday September 10, 2004, WESH and Reporter Shafer did a feature story on Smith's invention, interviewing Smith at his Orlando home. Shafer's story ran many times and was picked up via wire by other TV stations around the State of Florida. Smith's phones rang off the hook with customer demand, and a new industry - The Plywood Alternative® Industry -- was born.

In October of 2004, Storm Stoppers® successfully passing ASTM E 1886 and ASTM E 1996 Large Missile Impact Tests with a thicker more rigid, 3/8" thick corrugated plastic. At the testing lab, John was interviewed by Mike Holfeld of Orlando's WKMG Local 6's Problem Solvers. Mike's story, which ran November 10, 2004, featured the successful Lab Impact Testing and showed the ease of cutting, safe exit, and other benefits of Storm Stoppers®. Mike Holfelds' story was the first ever on Storm Stoppers®. It helped create consumer demand throughout Florida and gave Storm Stoppers® its start as The Future in Safe, Simple & Self-Installed Hurricane Protection.

Since their humble beginnings in 2004, Storm Stoppers® low cost, innovative hurricane protection products have been featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, CNN, Headline News, and almost 100 other (i.e. TV, radio and print) additional media outlets throughout the Southeast U.S. and the Caribbean. Storm Stoppers® now sells several hurricane protection & hurricane shutter products, among them a new Building Code Approved Storm Stoppers® Hurricane Protection product

Company Info:

Storm Stoppers® is open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 6pm Eastern time and from 9am to 4pm on Saturdays. You may also reach us after hours by email: customerservice@storm-stoppers.com or by calling 407-423-5959. We love our customers!

Home / About Us / Contact us / Pressroom / Where to Buy