By Roberta Magarotto, Global Head of Research & Development
Innovation in construction rarely begins with a sudden moment of illumination. More typically, it emerges from a challenge, a material behaving differently than expected, a regulation evolving, or a concrete mix that performs well in the lab but not under real jobsite conditions. And it’s precisely in these moments that Master Builders Solutions’ R&D plays an important role: transforming real-world constraints into meaningful opportunities for our customers, improving performance, increasing robustness and responding to sustainability demands without compromising reliability.
Every innovation begins with choices. Which challenges are worth solving? Which ideas can scale across regions and standards? Which solutions will deliver value not just in theory, but in daily construction practice?
Answering these questions requires far more than advanced equipment and data. It demands deep scientific competencies shaped over decades of experience, combined with the fresh perspectives, curiosity, and creativity of a new generation of researchers that characterise Master Builders Solutions R&D community. Together, our varied perspectives foster a culture where experience and fresh thinking challenge one another and drive progress forward.
Shaped by this approach and the decisions that guide the work, it ultimately leads to technologies such as MasterCO₂re, supporting lower-carbon concrete, and MasterEase, enabling advanced control of concrete rheology. Behind each technology are years of research, testing, refinement, and, just as importantly, decisions about what not to pursue.
Sustainability is not an afterthought in this process, it guides the design from the beginning. Our scientists work to reduce CO₂ emissions, enable alternative raw materials, and improve material efficiency. They do so while maintaining performance, compliance, and consistency. Achieving this balance requires navigating trade-offs with scientific rigor, responsibility, and a customer-first mindset.
Many imagine R&D as quiet, solitary type of work carried out behind laboratory doors. In reality, our labs are vibrant spaces where scientists engage in lively discussions, challenge each other’s hypotheses, and debate the theory behind unexpected experimental results. It’s a place where freedom of thought meets scientific rigor, where ideas are tested, questioned, and refined through passionate collaboration.
The impact becomes truly visible when we work directly within our customers’ industrial processes. Beyond testing their materials in our laboratories, we evaluate how our solutions perform under real production conditions, interacting with their equipment, mixing sequences, temperatures, logistics constraints, and operational realities, optimising the solutions to manage variability, stabilise output, and achieve consistent results at scale.
Innovation also thrives when we look beyond our own walls. Through collaborations with universities, research institutes, and technology partners, we explore new ideas, emerging technologies, and scientific approaches that expand what is possible. These collaborations allow us to challenge assumptions, accelerate learning, and ensure that scientific discovery connects seamlessly with practical application.
At Master Builders Solutions, R&D begins with a clear purpose: shaping meaningful progress for the construction industry. It means applying science with intention, combining the deep expertise with the creativity and fresh perspectives of emerging talent. And it means developing solutions that prove their value not only in the lab, but in the real world environments where our customers build every day.
As construction changes, we stay committed to learning, improving, and creating solutions that truly support the people who build our world.