Grant: CCI Applied Research and Development Grants

Masco Canada Ltd., a division of Masco Corporation, stands at the forefront of the design, manufacturing, and distribution of well-known home improvement and construction items, mainly focusing on plumbing and bathing products. These products cater to both the Canadian and US markets. The manufacturing facility in St.Thomas, Ontario, is pivotal in using advanced vacuum thermoforming techniques to create a diverse range of acrylic bathing products, such as sheer bases, bathtubs, and tub/shower enclosures. This technology has consistently yielded top-tier acrylic bathing products for numerous years. However, in order to sustain competitiveness, it is imperative for Masco to constantly innovate and develop novel products to ensure exceptional design and quality. Masco and Lambton College are partnering for a research project that is focused on value engineering Masco's current process and materials of manufactured bathtubs to reduce the cost of the product, as well as to explore alternative technology for bathtub production. Through their joint efforts, Lambton College and Masco identified four key research objectives that include enhancing the current bathtub insert design through the application of Finite Element Analysis (FEA), investigating alternative materials that could potentially lead to more cost-effective bathtub manufacturing, optimizing the existing vacuum thermoforming process for better efficiency, and pioneering a novel manufacturing process, such as sheet molding compound (SMC). The outcome of this collaborative research is anticipated to yield tangible benefits, including lower production costs and heightened performance of Masco's bathing products. These improvements are poised to enhance profitability, drive sales, and safeguard employment opportunities within the company. Ultimately, this initiative is set to bolster Masco's global competitiveness in the home improvement market. With the improved manufacturing process projected to yield a 5% increase in market share, as well as the creation of approximately 12 new positions for production line operations, Masco is set to consolidate its current market position and pave the way for future growth.