PPG Industries has completed a $3.8 million expansion at its coatings manufacturing facility in Laguna de Duero, Valladolid, Spain. The investment provides new, state-of-the-art, mixing and blending equipment at the facility that will support an 80 percent increase in annual production capacity of coatings for automotive parts and industrial applications.

“With strong growth in the automotive industry, the expansion of the Valladolid facility and increased production capacity demonstrate PPG’s long-term commitment to supporting its automotive customers in Europe,” said Jean-Marie Greindl, PPG vice president, automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coatings, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and president, PPG EMEA.

“The expansion leverages PPG’s technical and colour expertise to create a centre of excellence in Valladolid where we will use innovative manufacturing technologies to continue delivering the high-quality coatings our customers across Europe have come to expect,” said Miguel Ángel Juárez, plant manager for the PPG manufacturing facilities in Valladolid and Valencia.

The additional capacity will enable PPG to meet increasing demand for its automotive coatings by manufacturers in the region. The investment funded development of the company’s first full dispense manufacturing cell, which automates coatings formulas for better product consistency, shorter production-cycle times and shorter lead times for customers. The Valladolid facility employs about 200 people.