PPG Automotive Refinish has opened an automated, technologically advanced, color matching laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio. The announcement was made by Mary Kimbro, PPG global color director. A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by PPG management and employees took place September 14, 2012. The new laboratory is expected to be fully operational this month.

A new level of precision and efficiency has been developed for the Refinish Color Matching Laboratory the company said. This computer-controlled, high-tech facility marks a significant advancement in the science and art of automotive refinish color matching.

The Refinish Color Matching Laboratory addresses a major challenge the automotive refinish business faces: the growing number of domestic and import OEM color offerings and variations including exterior, bumper, accent and underhood colors and the need for collision centers to match those colors. While an OEM’s color code may prescribe a particular paint formulation, the reality is the actual vehicle finish color may differ from plant to plant for any number of reasons. Consequently color variants are always needed.

PPG’s laboratory is equipped to produce accurate color formulations through improved processes and procedures it said. Using electronic and scientific methods made possible through state-of-the-art equipment and proprietary computer software programs, the patent-pending automated system is capable of running continuously to produce more color formulations, allowing PPG to provide precise color formulas with operational efficiency. The result: quickly obtaining the right variant and formula the first time. The laboratory’s capability also allows PPG to expand its data collection practices, better analyze automotive pigments and explore applicable color formulation opportunities as they occur.