Pittsburgh-based paint and coating maker PPG opened a new $3 million liquid coatings application development center at its Oak Creek plant last week.
The 4,000-square-foot facility allows the company to test the application of industrial coatings and paints in different environments. The two booths are temperature and humidity controlled, meaning the company can test for hot humid conditions in Louisiana, even on a chilly spring day in Wisconsin.
“It’s important to our customers to have liquid coatings products that work well in specific climates and environments, said Steve Wirtz, PPG liquid application manager for industrial coatings. “If they’re applying liquid coatings in the searing heat of summer with high humidity, or in cold-weather environments, we can simulate those conditions in our climate-controlled coating rooms to ensure that PPG products will perform as desired.”
Wirtz said the center is the first to be opened within the company’s industrial coatings business, but PPG does have similar facilities at its research centers in other parts of the business.
The new center also includes a robot to simulate automated coating applications.
“Investing in this new facility shows PPG’s commitment to developing innovative coatings along with our customers and enhances our ability to work with them on next-generation liquid coatings formulations,” said Kevin Braun, PPG vice president for industrial coatings, Americas.
The Oak Creek industrial coatings manufacturing facility is PPG’s largest in the country and has 550 employees.
