Francis Lacroix ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ Xpan 2 Primary Function: ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱡᱩᱛᱟᱹ ᱫᱚ ᱥᱩᱨᱟᱹᱠᱷᱟ ᱩᱯᱠᱟᱨᱚᱱ ᱯᱨᱚᱛᱤᱡᱚᱜᱤᱛᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱜ ᱨᱮ 2026 A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱨᱮᱱᱟᱜ ᱟᱹᱰᱤ ᱢᱟᱱ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱡᱤᱛᱠᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾
ᱥᱳᱱᱟᱥᱩᱨᱟᱹᱠᱷᱟ ᱩᱯᱠᱟᱨᱚᱱ· 2026
Xpan 2 Primary Function: ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱡᱩᱛᱟᱹ
Francis Lacroix ᱞᱮᱠᱟᱛᱮ
ᱜᱟᱦᱟᱠ: Royer
ᱥᱩᱨᱟᱹᱠᱷᱟ ᱩᱯᱠᱟᱨᱚᱱ ᱵᱷᱟᱜ ᱨᱮ A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱡᱤᱛᱠᱟᱨ
ᱡᱟᱸᱪ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱮᱣᱟᱨᱰ ᱡᱤᱛᱠᱟᱨ
#182031 ᱞᱟᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱣᱟᱨᱰ ᱦᱟᱞᱚᱛ ᱡᱟᱸᱪᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ
Xpan 2 Primary Function: ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱡᱩᱛᱟᱹ ᱵᱟᱵᱚᱛ ᱛᱮ
Book Text: Xpan 2.0 ᱡᱩᱛᱟᱹ ᱫᱚ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱱᱟᱶᱟ ᱛᱟᱞᱟ ᱠᱟᱛᱷᱟ ᱫᱚᱦᱚᱭ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱫᱚ ᱦᱟᱹᱲᱤᱭᱟᱹ ᱫᱷᱟᱹᱛᱩ (ᱢᱮᱴᱟᱞᱟᱨᱡᱤ) ᱡᱟᱭᱜᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱨᱮ ᱞᱚᱞᱚ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱨᱟᱠᱷᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱦᱟᱞᱠᱟ ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱢᱤᱫᱛᱮ ᱛᱟᱦᱮᱸᱱ ᱦᱩᱭᱩᱜ-ᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱢᱟᱲᱟᱝ ᱛᱟᱞᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱡᱟᱹᱲᱩᱠ ᱠᱷᱟᱛᱚᱨᱟ ᱨᱮ ᱞᱚᱞᱚ, ᱡᱟᱨᱩᱲ ᱟᱨ ᱠᱩᱲᱟᱹᱜ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱨᱟᱠᱷᱟᱭᱟ᱾ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱞᱚᱞᱚ ᱟᱨ ᱥᱮᱸᱜᱮᱞ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱨᱟᱠᱷᱟ ᱨᱟᱵᱟᱨ ᱠᱷᱚᱞ ᱫᱚ ᱯᱚᱞᱤᱭᱩᱨᱮᱛᱷᱮᱱ ᱛᱟᱞᱟ-ᱥᱩᱞ ᱠᱚ ᱟᱴᱠᱟᱶᱭᱟ, ᱡᱟᱦᱟᱸ ᱫᱚ ᱨᱚᱛᱚ ᱟᱴᱠᱟᱶ ᱵᱟᱝ ᱦᱩᱭ ᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱨ ᱵᱟᱝ ᱢᱟᱲᱟᱝ ᱠᱟᱛᱮ ᱢᱤᱫᱛᱮ ᱞᱚᱞᱚ ᱨᱚᱠᱚᱭ ᱟᱲᱟᱝ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨᱚᱜ-ᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱯᱷᱟᱞᱛᱩ ᱫᱚ ᱛᱟᱛᱮ ᱫᱷᱟᱹᱛᱩ ᱨᱟᱠᱷᱟ ᱡᱩᱛᱟᱹ ᱨᱮ ᱢᱤᱫ ᱱᱟᱶᱟ ᱢᱟᱯ ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱠᱟᱛᱮᱭᱟ᱾
ᱢᱟᱱᱟᱱ
A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱵᱟᱵᱚᱛ ᱛᱮ
Xpan 2 Primary Function: ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱡᱩᱛᱟᱹ ᱫᱚ A' Design Award ᱥᱳᱱᱟ ᱯᱩᱨᱚᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ, ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱫᱚ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱟᱨ ᱥᱩᱱᱫᱚᱨ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱥᱚᱢᱟᱱ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾ ᱱᱚᱶᱟ ᱠᱚ ᱫᱚ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱠᱚ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱵᱷᱟᱵᱱᱟ ᱟᱨ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱠᱟᱢᱤ ᱡᱷᱟᱞᱠᱟᱣ ᱠᱚ᱾ Xpan 2 Primary Function: ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱡᱩᱛᱟᱹ ᱫᱚ ᱠᱚᱞᱟ, ᱣᱤᱜᱭᱟᱱ, ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ ᱨᱮᱭᱟᱜ ᱥᱤᱢᱟ ᱵᱟᱲᱦᱟᱣ ᱟᱨ ᱫᱩᱱᱤᱭᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱞᱟᱭ ᱞᱟᱹᱜᱤᱫ ᱜᱚᱲᱚ ᱮᱢ ᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾
ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱯᱤᱪᱷᱟ ᱨᱮ
ᱯᱨᱮᱥ ᱠᱤᱴ
ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱᱟᱨ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱠᱨᱮᱰᱤᱴ, ᱴᱤᱢ ᱥᱫᱚᱥᱭ ᱟᱨ ᱴᱮᱠᱱᱤᱠᱮᱞ ᱵᱤᱵᱚᱨᱚᱬ ᱮᱢ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾
- ᱟᱞᱜᱟ ᱜᱩᱱ ᱠᱚ
- The sole is designed in a way to encapsulate the quasi-totality of the polyurethane midsole by the heat and flame resistant rubber outsole leaving only a slight contour. Thus, offering a lighter and highly shock absorbing sole all the while providing maximal foot protection and durability.
- ᱢᱟᱯ ᱟᱨ ᱯᱮᱠᱮᱡᱤᱝ
- A US size 9.0 (42 EU) pair has an approximate height of 200 mm and is built on an ergonomic shoelast designed to closely follow the natural morphology of the foot, ensuring fit precision and comfort. Each pair is packaged in a rectangular box measuring approximately 200 x 200 x 100 mm. The packaging, made from recycled and recyclable cardboard, protects the product from factory to end user.
- ᱴᱮᱜ ᱠᱚ
- Work boot, Safety boot, Cold Weather Protection, outsole technology, extreme job sites, Metatarsal Protection, Industrial Design
- ᱛᱮᱭᱟᱨ ᱛᱮᱠᱱᱚᱞᱚᱡᱤ
- The design process began with exploratory hand sketches to define proportions, functional zones and visual identity. Concepts were refined using Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator and Photoshop) to develop precise renderings and material simulations. A detailed technical drawing was then produced to guide tooling and upper manufacturing. A comprehensive tech pack ensured accurate translation of design intent into production.
- ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱱ ᱪᱮᱞᱮᱧ
- The most complex challenge was achieving resistance to molten metal, particularly full immersion in liquid aluminum exceeding 1,000°C. Aluminum’s very low viscosity allows rapid penetration, making material selection and upper construction highly critical. The difficulty was intensified by bonding the upper to a rubber outsole through polyurethane injection, a material sensitive to heat above 150°C. Balancing extreme thermal protection with manufacturability required extensive experimentation and process control.
- ᱜᱚᱵᱮᱥᱚᱱᱟ
- Type of Research: Experimental product R&D following a five-phase Stage-Gate methodology. Research Objectives: Improve protection, comfort, and durability in molten metal environments. Methodology: Define measurable performance criteria and validate materials against them. Data Collection and Tools: Iterative lab testing on weight, slip resistance, molten metal splash and aluminum bath immersion. Participants: Internal R&D and manufacturing teams. Results: Measurable gains across all parameters. Insights and Impacts: Enhanced safety standards, industrial reliability, and long-term value for high-risk metal processing sectors.
- ᱯᱨᱮᱨᱚᱱᱟ
- The sole design draws inspiration from the aerodynamic geometry of the CF-105 Arrow developed by Avro Canada. Its triangular wing structure and directional arrow motifs informed the tread’s dynamic chevron pattern, engineered to enhance forward traction and stability. The project merges aerospace precision with industrial safety research, translating principles of thrust, grip, and structural resilience into a high-performance work boot outsole.
- ᱯᱨᱚᱡᱮᱠᱴ ᱥᱚᱢᱚᱭ
- The project started in January 2023 in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, and was completed in December 2025. The three-year development cycle included the Definition, Design, Prototyping, and Production Implementation phases. The product was officially launched in January 2026. A continuous Monitoring and Feedback phase has been ongoing since market introduction to ensure long-term performance optimization.
- ᱠᱟᱹᱢᱤ ᱦᱚᱨ
- The Xpan 2.0 boot improves upon previous generations in every critical aspect. It offers higher resistance to molten metal splash, enhanced slip protection on certified test surfaces, reduced weight, improved ergonomic fit, and greater durability against abrasion and tearing. Each performance parameter was tested and validated, demonstrating measurable progress over the previous model, already recognized as a global benchmark in primary and secondary metal processing environments.
- ᱴᱤᱢ ᱥᱮᱫᱟᱭ ᱠᱚ
- Sponsor: Simon La Rochelle
Innovation Director: Francis Lacroix
Product Developer: Vincent Blais
Project Manager: Elyzabeth Bouchard
Operations Director: Etienne Sirois
Production Technician: Brittaney La Penna
Production Technician: Simon Turk
Technical Partner: Benedetto Scarnera (SFB Srl)
Technical Partner: Felice Scarnera (SFB Srl)
ᱥᱯᱚᱱᱥᱚᱨᱰ
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ᱢᱤᱫ ᱞᱮᱠᱟ ᱠᱮᱴᱮᱜᱚᱨᱤ ᱠᱷᱚᱱ ᱟᱨᱦᱚᱸ ᱯᱩᱨᱥᱠᱟᱨ ᱧᱟᱢᱟᱠᱟᱱ ᱰᱤᱡᱟᱭᱤᱱ ᱠᱚ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱢᱮ, ᱡᱚᱜᱭᱟᱛᱟ ᱧᱮᱞ ᱛᱮ ᱵᱟᱪᱷᱟᱣ ᱟᱠᱟᱱᱟ᱾
