In the mid-80s, VaporTech was founded in New York as a research and development laboratory focused on physical vapor deposition technologies. The company commercialized its products and relocated to Colorado. In 1994, Masco Corporation, a global leader in designing, manufacturing, and distributing branded home improvement and building products, acquired Vapor Technologies, a company based in Longmont, Colorado. As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of this successful partnership, we would like to share some of the highlights and milestones of our company and journey as a Masco subsidiary.
The company trademarked a unique PVD coating process known as low-temperature arc vapor deposition process (LTAVD®) and began selling systems commercially.
VaporTech moved from New York to a facility in Boulder, Colorado (near our current 60,000-square-foot facility in the Boulder-Longmont business corridor) to manufacture its systems.
Masco saw the opportunity to use PVD coatings to enhance the appearance and performance of its products, such as faucets, showerheads, door handles, and cabinet hardware. It acquired VaporTech to create Delta Faucet’s Brilliance® finish that “looks new for life.” Masco also supported the company’s growth and expansion into new markets and applications.
VaporTech continued to expand its portfolio of decorative and protective coatings for consumer products to include a range of brass, nickel, and stainless-steel colors.
VaporTech scientists introduced a unique, highly durable black coating named “ZrOC™” to meet consumer demand for a very dark, neutral-black finish on consumer products.
VaporTech introduced the Cadence® system with RAAMS® coating technology. The system deposits dense, smooth coatings like those deposited using HiPIMS technology but with faster deposition rates. These coatings significantly improve wear and heat resistance, reduce friction, and increase the life of many industrial and consumer parts.
VaporTech introduced The VaporTech VTi Series to produce the same quality coatings in a more modern, compact coating machine. Right-sized VTi-Series™ machines offer equipment for operations of any size. This equipment delivers multiple coating technologies in a single PVD coating machine, producing functional, decorative, and DLC coatings. Our midsize machine (the VT-1500i™ system) offers two optional magnetron sputtering targets for specialty applications.
In the past 30 years, VaporTech has installed VaporTech PVD machines in diverse manufacturing operations worldwide. This year, the VaporTech team is celebrating its 30th anniversary as a Masco company.
We want to thank our customers, partners, suppliers, and employees for their trust, support, and collaboration over the years. We are proud of our achievements and contributions to the PVD industry and the Masco family. We look forward to continuing our mission of providing innovative PVD solutions to our customers worldwide.
For more information about our products, contact us at 303-652-8500.