STORM SHIELD Hurricane Barriers are built on more than a century of perforated metal experience. Exeter Architectural Products was founded by the principals of Diamond Manufacturing Company, perforated metal specialists since 1915.
Diamond Manufacturing Company
Diamond Manufacturing Company was started in 1915 and is North America's leading and largest producer of perforated metals. Diamond is the sole source provider of the InvisiPerf™ pattern used exclusively in the Exeter line of products, including STORM SHIELD Hurricane Barriers and CRIME SHIELD Security Barriers. Diamond Manufacturing is an ISO certified facility, and Exeter Architectural Products follows the same philosophy of quality, continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.
Why Perforated Metal Matters
Perforated metal is sheet metal that has been punched with a precise, repeating pattern of holes. The size of the holes, the spacing between them and the thickness and type of the metal decide how the sheet behaves. A pattern can be tuned to let through more light and air, to block more of the sun, to stop larger or smaller objects, or to shield electronic equipment from electromagnetic interference. That flexibility is why perforated metal is used in everything from architectural screens and sunshades to filters, acoustic panels and equipment enclosures.
For a hurricane barrier, the challenge is to balance strength and visibility. The panel must resist the impact of wind-borne debris and the push and pull of hurricane winds, yet people inside should still be able to see out. The InvisiPerf™ pattern uses a 51% open area, which allows maximum visibility and air flow while the heavy 14 gauge mill-galvannealed steel, or optional 300 series stainless steel, provides the strength. You can read more about the pattern on our InvisiPerf see-thru technology page.
Experience Behind the Product
Because Exeter grew out of a perforated metal manufacturer, the company understands how hole pattern, material and framing work together. That experience shaped Exeter's first product, the CRIME SHIELD security barrier, and later the STORM SHIELD hurricane barrier, which was refined to pass the stringent hurricane simulation tests developed by Miami-Dade County. The same expertise appears in Exeter's technical studies on sun control and EMI shielding with perforated metal.
To learn more about the company, read our company history or contact us.