DuPont(TM) StormRoom(TM) with Kevlar(R) Withstands 250 MPH Winds, 70,000 Pounds WILMINGTON, Del., April 3, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DuPont (NYSE:DD) today opened its first storm shelter testing center at its Chestnut Run site here. The multi-million dollar facility will allow the company to test different materials for its DuPont(TM) StormRoom(TM) with Kevlar(R). DuPont also will use the site to develop new technologies that will further help protect people and property during dangerous storms. Yesterday DuPont announced an agreement with national builder Epcon Communities to offer the DuPont(TM) StormRoom(TM) with Kevlar(R) to its 138 builder franchisees -- the first agreement to offer a storm shelter nationally. DuPont estimates that 90 percent of its patent-pending storm shelters are now in use in rural and suburban communities, with 10 percent installed in cities. Initially, sales for the StormRoom(TM) with Kevlar(R) were focused on Tornado Alley, the eight states where most tornadoes strike during the year. DuPont has found, however, that many other parts of the United States, including coastal areas where hurricanes and other wind-based storms can wreak havoc, need the safety and security provided by the StormRoom(TM). DuPont has seen a 300 percent increase in sales in states outside Tornado Alley. The DuPont(TM) StormRoom(TM), the only storm shelter with the strength of DuPont(TM) Kevlar(R), provides protection from tornadoes and hurricanes. Flying debris continues to be the No. 1 cause of injury in severe storms and can turn branches into deadly projectiles. Tornadoes can provide consistent winds up to 250 miles per hour (mph) -- much higher than some hurricanes. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), most of the country is exposed to winds that can range from 130 mph to 250 mph. According to DuPont research, consumers are increasingly focused on home safety and the need for functionality in a storm shelter. The DuPont(TM) StormRoom(TM) allows for electricity and plumbing installation, as well as cell phone and radio reception, so its occupants can monitor news and weather information. When not in use, the StormRoom(TM) can double as an extra room, storage space or powder room, providing year-round utility. The DuPont(TM) StormRoom(TM) with Kevlar(R) is the only shelter that can be installed in existing as well as new homes, above ground or in basements, and is completely transportable using authorized installers. It is designed to withstand the impact of a 2' x 4' timber propelled at 100 mph -- the speed at which the timber would travel in the strongest tornado, which generates wind gusts of up to 250 mph. The StormRoom(TM) also is crush-resistant and engineered to support a uniformly distributed weight of more than 70,000 pounds, the weight of a fully loaded tractor trailer. Based on DuPont comparison data, the company believes the StormRoom(TM) to be the strongest and most durable of all the storm shelters available today.
