30 Years of Staying Ahead of the Storm

Three decades ago, Storm Smart began in a garage in Cape Coral, Florida with a simple idea; what is the best way to protect people and their property from hurricanes and other extreme weather events.

A lot has changed since we first opened our doors in 1996. Storm Smart has grown from its early roots as a storm shutter supplier into a comprehensive home protection solution partner for our customers.

From the beginning, our mission has been rooted in protecting our communities, educating homeowners, and continually looking for better ways to provide the confidence and peace of mind that Florida residents seek.

There Has to Be a Better Way

In Storm Smart’s early years, founder Brian Rist spent a great deal of time thinking about what hurricane protection options were available to homeowners. As he surveyed the industry landscape, he kept saying to himself “There has to be a better way.”

An Unexpected Source of Inspiration

There’s an old adage that inspiration sometimes comes from the most unusual places. That was certainly the case in Storm Smart’s early days.

While watching his daughter jump on a trampoline, Brian began thinking about how a flexible fabric concept could potentially be used to protect a home’s vulnerable openings from windborne debris.

The trampoline material itself wasn’t the answer, but the idea helped pave the way for the development of the Storm Catcher® Hurricane Screen systems. More importantly, it reflected the kind of thinking that has shaped Storm Smart’s mission for more than three decades; how can we do what we do better?  

Always Innovating, Always Improving

Throughout our history, testing and continuous improvement have played an important role in how Storm Smart develops its products. That includes physical impact and pressure testing designed to put products under significant stress and identify where improvements can be made.

Instead of avoiding a product’s weakest points, we want to find them. Because once we understand where something can be stronger, our engineers and product teams can work to improve it.

Strength, however, is only part of the equation. Hurricane protection also needs to work for the people who depend on it.

Technology Changes, Attention to Detail Doesn’t

Florida homes aren’t all alike, and neither are the homeowners who live in them. We believe that for storm protection to be truly effective, the right solutions need to account for each home, its openings, and the needs of the people who will actually use it.

Meeting Evolving Needs

Over the years, our solutions have evolved to make preparing a home easier and more convenient. Storm Catcher® screens progressed from manual deployment to crank-operated and motorized options.

Today, remote controls and smartphone connectivity have made operating certain solutions even simpler. Other products have been developed with features designed to make deployment more manageable for homeowners.

Even after three decades, every Storm Smart innovation must pass the acid test; how do we make our products stronger and easier to use? How do we help homeowners spend less time worrying about whether they’ll be ready when severe weather approaches?

Built for Strength, Built with Purpose

Originally, Storm Smart’s hurricane screen material was laid out and cut by hand. As the company grew, manufacturing evolved with it. Today, we operate three Florida-based manufacturing plants, incorporating more advanced equipment and processes while maintaining the craftsmanship and customization that have always been important to our products.

All Storm Smart’s Hurricane Screens are sewn with precision, and aluminum components are designed and cut for specific applications. Products are customized around the specific openings they’re intended to protect.

Knowledge is Power – Customer Education

Protecting a home has always meant more to Storm Smart than providing the right products.

For decades, we’ve also worked to give Florida homeowners and communities the information they need to better understand hurricane risks, prepare before severe weather arrives, and know how to use their protection when it matters most.

That commitment has taken many forms over the years, from hurricane preparedness talks and educational resources to community seminars, product guides, and hands-on information designed to help homeowners feel more confident about getting ready for a storm.

Today, that commitment to education continues through homeowner preparedness resources, Storm Smart Ready product guidance, community presentations and Lunch & Learns, and educational programs for community leaders and association boards.

We have also worked alongside organizations such as the American Red Cross and local emergency management partners to help bring preparedness information directly into Florida communities.

We Live Here, Too

The people who make up Storm Smart are members of the same communities we serve. Some have been part of the company since its earliest years, and many believe in the products they work with every day enough to put those same products on their own homes.

When we improve a product or innovate new storm protection solutions, we know members of our own team may depend on them when a hurricane approaches.

Thirty years of experience has taught us a lot about storms. It has also reinforced something we’ve understood from the beginning: protecting a community starts with being part of it.

Growing With the Needs of Florida Homeowners

Storm Smart started as a shutter company, but the challenges Florida homeowners face has changed over the years.

Today, Storm Smart offers Hurricane Screens, Aluminum Roll Downs and Accordion Shutters, Impact Windows and Doors, Flood Mitigation solutions, Garage Doors, and other options designed to help homeowners protect more of their property.

Looking Ahead

An anniversary naturally gives you a reason to look backward. We’re proud of the products we’ve developed and of the craftsmanship behind them.

We are also grateful for the people who have helped us carry our mission forward, and the confidence homeowners and communities throughout Florida have placed in us during the   past three decades.

As for the future, the Storm Smart team will always stay true to our original guiding principle; always looking for a better way to serve our customers with the industry’s most innovative products and services.