Storm-A-Rest™ panels protect windows and doors from up to 175 mph
winds
MORRIS TOWNSHIP, N.J., June 1, 2009 – Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced
today that hurricane-resistant storm curtains containing Honeywell
Spectra® fiber have been certified under Florida building code to
withstand winds of up to 175 mph, the equivalent of a Category 5
hurricane.
The roll-down curtains, called Storm-A-Rest™, are able to withstand
hurricane-force winds and the impact of large, wind-borne projectiles because
they contain Spectra fiber, which is most commonly used in bullet-resistant
body armor. The curtains are manufactured and sold by North Carolina-based
JHRG, LLC.
“It’s a testament to the strength of Honeywell’s Spectra fiber that
Storm-A-Rest curtains are now certified to withstand debris propelled by the
most dangerous hurricanes,” said Joe Gelo, global business director for
Honeywell’s Advanced Fibers and Composites business. “It’s another example of
how Spectra fiber can perform in the most demanding conditions.”
Storm-A-Rest curtains are approved under Florida’s building code for the High
Velocity Hurricane Zone, which includes Dade and Broward counties. They are
also approved for Wind Zone 4 and the proposed Wind Zone 5, the area within one
mile of Florida’s nearly 1,200-mile coastline. It is estimated that 7.3 million
homes are within the hurricane zone. Florida building code is the benchmark for
hurricane-protection standards, and is mirrored by the International Code
Council, the Institute for Business and Home Safety’s “Fortified … for Safer
Living®” program, and the Texas Department of Insurance.
According to the National Weather Service, Category 5 hurricanes are the most
destructive hurricanes. They are characterized by sustained winds greater than
155 mph, causing catastrophic damage to buildings, trees and power lines.
Category 5 storms, on average, occur only once every three years. In 2005, two
Category 5 storms – Katrina and Rita – devastated the U.S. Gulf Coast.
The Storm-A-Rest curtains can be fastened to wood, brick or concrete surfaces,
and are installed using standard fasteners that do not require special tools.
Honeywell’s Spectra fiber is extremely lightweight, which means the curtains
weigh less than two ounces per square foot – about 75 percent less than
corrugated aluminum panels. This makes them easy to maintain and store, and
safer to handle and install than plywood and corrugated aluminum.
The curtains are available in more than 350 Sunbrella®-brand accent
patterns and come with a five-year warranty. In 2008, Storm-A-Rest curtains
were awarded a Best of What’s New Grand Award by Popular Science
magazine as the top innovation in their home technology category.
Pound for pound, Spectra fiber is 15 times stronger than steel. It is made from
ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene using a patented gel-spinning process.
The fiber exhibits high resistance to chemicals, water, and ultraviolet light.
It has excellent vibration damping, flex fatigue and internal fiber-friction
characteristics. It also has up to 60 percent greater specific strength than
aramid fiber.
Other industrial applications for Spectra fiber include security netting, rope
and cordage and fishing line, as well as industrial slings used to lift heavy
equipment and materials for offshore oil and gas construction.
Honeywell maintains an active Spectra fiber and ballistic material research and
development program aimed to meet increased demand for its high performance
materials. For more information about Spectra fiber, visit
http://www.honeywell.com/spectra.
Storm-A-Rest is a trademark of JHRG, LLC
Sunbrella is a registered trademark of Glen Raven Inc.
Honeywell Specialty Materials, based in Morristown, N.J., is a $5.3 billion
global leader in providing customers with high-performance specialty materials,
including fluorine products; specialty films and additives; advanced fibers and
composites; intermediates; specialty chemicals; electronic materials and
chemicals; and technologies and materials for petroleum refining.
Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100
diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide
with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes
and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials.
Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell’s shares are traded on the New York,
London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on
Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.
This release contains certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address
activities, events or developments that we or our management intends, expects,
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forward-looking statements.
Media Contact:
Nina Krauss
973-455-4253
nina.krauss@honeywell.com