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Contact:

Glenn Grant Senior Marketing Communications Specialist Watkins Manufacturing Corp. Phone: (760) 305-4134 E-Mail: glenn.grant@watkinsmfg.com

Friday, February 29, 2008

Aria Hot Tub from Hot Spring Spas Wins New Product Development Award from Parent Masco Corp.

VISTA, CA, February 29, 2008--Watkins Manufacturing Corp. has received a 2007 New Product Development Award for its outstanding work on the Hot Spring^® Aria^TM spa from parent company Masco Corp.

"Masco presents the New Product Development Award annually to its operating companies that have achieved exceptional success in delivering innovative and commercially important new products to the market," said Steve Hammock, president of Vista-based Watkins Manufacturing.

"The entire team that developed and built the Aria spa deserves all the recognition for this award. They created a great product that has been a consumer favorite, as well as one that meets the high standards of our parent company."

 

Named a Consumers Digest Best Buy, the Aria spa provides comfortable seating for five adults. It includes Hot Spring exclusives like the moving Moto-Massage^® DX jet, plus directional and rotational Precision^® jets in the calf area of the lounge for enhanced hydromassage. The sleek cabinet profile adds a contemporary flair to any backyard. And to complete the Aria spa experience, owners can relax to the sound of their favorite song playing on the factory-installed music system.

 

Masco received 37 nominations for the 2007 New Product and Innovation Awards from its operating companies, said Donny DeMarie, Masco Executive Vice President, Masco New Product Development Committee.

The nominees were evaluated for their innovative content, market significance and financial impact. The success of the Hot Spring Aria spa in all three areas earned it recognition as a Silver New Product Development winner.
 

"We were impressed with the integration of a number of thoughtful design elements with a tasteful blend of high-performance characteristics," De Marie said. "In our view, the Aria spa combines comfort, therapy and a pop-up sound system for a total lifestyle experience."

 

Hammock accepted a trophy and a framed poster recognizing the award at the Masco General Managers' Meeting at Masco headquarters in Taylor, Michigan.

About Masco Corporation

Headquartered in Taylor, Michigan, Masco Corporation is one of the world's leading manufacturers of home improvement and building products, as well as a leading provider of services that include the installation of insulation and other building products. Additional information is available at http://www.masco.com/.

 

About Hot Spring Spas

Established in 1977, Vista, Calif.-based Watkins Manufacturing Corp. is the manufacturer of Hot Spring Spas. More than 800,000 spas have been sold since Watkins' inception. Watkins' worldwide dealer network of more than 950 sales and service centers is in all 50 states, Canada and more than 60 other countries. Watkins is a division of Masco Corp. (MAS-NYSE), a Fortune 500 company whose quality products include Delta^® faucets, KraftMaid^® cabinets and Behr^® paints. More information is available at http://www.hotspring.com/.