‘We’re dealing with lives here’: AquaFence opens local office

AquaFence made global headlines after its flood barrier system protected Tampa General Hospital from Hurricane Helene’s storm surge. The City of St. Petersburg became a customer, and several other area institutions have expressed interest.

Tampa Bay’s community spirit also attracted AquaFence. The Oslo, Norway-based company has opened a local office – potentially its new U.S. headquarters – in Tampa.

Real estate developer Strategic Property Partners announced Wednesday that AquaFence has signed a 10-year lease for 3,500 square feet at the Thousand & One office tower. Patrick Hansson, chief revenue officer for AquaFence, stressed that the move means much more than just increasing the company’s bottom line.

“We’re dealing with lives here,” Hansson told the Catalyst. “We’re dealing with millions of dollars in property damage. We’re not here to sell. As long as the industry takes off and takes off in the right way, so it’s safe for the community, that’s our main focus.

“Remember, we’re a Scandinavian company. We’re not all about dollars and cents.”

Hansson moved to the area about 10 days ago and will lead the local office. He said it could “very easily” employ 15 to 20 people, including a mix of engineers from a New Jersey office and new hires.

A permanent presence in the Water Street Tampa district will provide AquaFence direct access to regional partners. John Couris, CEO of Tampa General Hospital (TGH), stressed the importance of operational continuity at his facility.

“The AquaFence is a critical component of our comprehensive storm mitigation efforts and has protected TGH from potentially disastrous flooding during numerous hurricanes, allowing us to care for our community around the clock and keep our team, providers and patients safe,” Couris said in a prepared statement.

AquaFence now has a 10-year lease at the Thousand & One office building in Water Street Tampa.

TGH encircles the Davis Islands facility with five AquaFence FloodWalls ranging in height from four to nine feet as storms approach the area. Videos of the system negating Helene’s over seven-foot storm surge went viral.

AquaFences can withstand a 15-foot wall of water. Hansson said the company is testing panels against “constant 140 mph wind” in Palm Beach this week.

“The panels just didn’t budge,” he added. “The wind testing was phenomenal yesterday (Wednesday) and exceeded every expectation. We’re talking about a Category 4 hurricane.”

Hansson noted that the flood barrier system is still in its infancy. Sandbags – ineffective against more than a few inches of water – remain the most popular choice for protection.

AquaFence wants to propel the industry through community relationships. Hansson believes local and state collaboration will further engineering efforts and increase safety.

The company’s relationship with TGH was “absolutely a big part” of why it chose Tampa. While Tampa Bay is home to about 3.5 million people, Hansson said it seems like a “family-oriented region” where “everybody knows each other.”

Hansson said he and CEO Michael Juuhl thought “this feels like home” after multiple visits. Opening their next office, “and probably our headquarters,” in Tampa was a “very easy decision.”

Mayor Ken Welch made Aquafence part of his St. Petersburg Agile Resiliency (SPAR) plans in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The city council unanimously approved spending $628,000 on 518 feet of FloodWall in January.

Councilmember Brandi Gabbard said she and her colleagues cheered when they heard the procurement request. “Anything we can do that’s creative and an immediate pivot to making us more resilient on these infrastructure items – we’re all for.”

AquaFence will ship the impermeable barrier in 20 weather-resistant crates. City officials hoped to have it ready to protect a downtown lift station before hurricane season begins June 1.

Hansson said Thursday that a local office will help during design and deployment. “We can just get in a car and don’t have to go to an airport.”

Multiple other city institutions are also interested in the protection provided by AquaFence. The University of South Florida St. Petersburg is “investigating flood barriers to harden specific locations on campus that house critical systems or are particularly vulnerable to flooding.”

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital plans to spend $34 million storm-hardening its campus. The project includes installing flood barriers around the main facility and transformers at a nearby energy plant.

Hansson said he spent 25 years working for a Wall Street hedge fund. He called the previous five months “some of the most rewarding,” as no financial incentive can replace the satisfaction of knowing “someone’s mother was in the hospital during the hurricane and didn’t have to evacuate.”

The local reception helped him realize that “we’re doing something more than just mitigating flooding here.”

Above: An Aquafence video of the barrier protecting Tampa General Hospital during Hurricane Helene.