PPG Building Liquid Coatings Center In Wisconsin

From left, are: Shekhar Nanivadekar, PPG operations director, industrial coatings; Jack Marshall, PPG plant manager, Oak Creek plant; Irina Platica, PPG technical director, industrial coatings; Kevin Braun, PPG vice president, industrial coatings, Americas; Steve Wirtz, PPG application manager, industrial coatings; and Joe Ehlinger, PPG engineer, Oak Creek plant.

PPG Industries’ industrial coatings business has broken ground on a new application development center for liquid coatings at its Oak Creek, Wisconsin, plant.

The facility will support development of custom formulations of liquid coatings that apply well and consistently in varying application conditions, and it will enable PPG to simulate customer production lines for new coatings and application trials and for application training.

Scheduled to open in February 2016, the center will include advanced equipment such as multiple curing ovens, robotic paint applicators and spray booths with temperature and humidity controls to help mimic processes and environments in various customers’ plants. The abilities to simulate actual production conditions and to test applications on large and complex shapes and parts will enable PPG technical experts to engage closely with customers during development and testing, offering new opportunities to identify and address potential problems and to refine application training.

Kevin Braun, PPG vice president, industrial coatings, Americas, said the investment shows PPG’s commitment to developing innovative coatings along with its customers. “At PPG, we understand the challenges and demands our customers face every day. This new facility will enhance our ability to work collaboratively with them to develop next-generation liquid coatings formulations that help them reduce manufacturing complexities and make coated products that last longer and look better.”

As the world’s leading coatings company, PPG offers a comprehensive array of powder, electrocoat, pretreatment and liquid products for metal finishing to manufacturers in numerous industries. In addition to providing a broad range of coatings and a full spectrum of color choices, PPG backs its products with 50 years of experience in industrial coatings and technical expertise delivered through an international customer support network to help solve tough coatings challenges.

For more information, visit www.ppgindustrialcoatings.com or call 1-888-774-2001.