Sun Protection Inc. Celebrating 48 Years

Bill Leche, owner and operator of Metairie, La.-based Sun Protection Inc., has been shading the eyes of mariners for 48 years.

His maritime focus is due to his roots. Early on, Leche spent six foundational years working for Chotin Transportation Inc. From there, he entered the window-covering business in 1971. Having worked in the maritime industry, he knew the importance of shading vessel wheelhouses from glare and heat from the sun, so focusing on the marine industry was a natural fit, Leche said.

Now, with nearly a half century experience serving the maritime industry, Leche has outfitted thousands of vessels with window shades, ranging from wheelhouse window coverings to stateroom blackout shades.

“I sell to boats everywhere,” Leche said. “I’ve worked with boats from all over the world with all kinds of different installations.”

Sun Protection’s wheelhouse window shades are a tinted Mylar, which provides daytime reduction of both heat and glare from direct and reflected sunlight. Leche manages most of the applications remotely. The vessel operators supply window measurements, with Leche supplying the shades, mounting systems and instructions. Square windows, tapered windows or parallelograms—Sun Protection can supply shades for all shapes and sizes of windows. Shades typically operate with a spring roller mechanism or a chain for raising and lowering.

Leche estimates that, over the years, he’s served over a thousand vessels and several hundred companies, both in the United States and overseas. Vessels outfitted with Sun Protection window coverings operate daily on the nation’s inland waterways, in the Gulf of Mexico and as far as the Pacific and Atlantic oceans and the Caribbean sea.

For more information or to contact Leche, see ShadeTheSun.com.