PPG will invest $ 10 million to expand the production of automotive OEM coatings and of sustainable water-based basecoat technologies.
PPG announced an investment of over $ 10 million (€ 9 million) to expand the production of automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coatings at its facility in Weingarten, Germany. The project, which is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2022, includes an addition of 10,000 square feet to its existing facility with a capacity to produce more than 5,000 metric tons of waterborne basecoats annually.
The water-based technology will allow the solvents found in traditional basecoats to be replaced with distilled water, providing less odour and better air quality in the workplace for both PPG and its customers.
This project is part of a series of investments that PPG is making in its automotive OEM coating production in Europe. These investments will also help the company reduce its carbon footprint.
“This is an important investment to strengthen our production capabilities in Europe and to ensure that we are leveraging our industry-leading waterborne technology to drive down-stream sustainability, helping our customers meet their sustainability goals,” said Roald Johannsen, PPG vice president, automotive OEM coatings, Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Weingarten is a particularly strategic site due to its proximity to several of our key German OEM customers."
“PPG has a long history of providing paints and coatings to help automotive manufacturers protect and beautify vehicles,” Johannsen said. “These investments in capabilities to produce more sustainable products, together with our focus on coatings for the next generation of electric vehicles, will ensure that we continue to create value for our automotive customers in the future.”