PPG opened a $3 million state-of-the-art liquid coatings application development center at its Oak Creek, Wisconsin, plant. The new center includes advanced equipment that helps simulate industrial coatings customers’ manufacturing environments to ensure PPG coatings will be properly and consistently applied during their production processes. 

The new coatings application development center houses multiple curing ovens, robotic paint applicators and spray booths with temperature and humidity controls to mimic a wide range of liquid coatings application conditions. These capabilities will further enhance the product launch process and application validation capabilities of PPG’s industrial coatings business.

“It’s important to our customers to have liquid coatings products that work well in specific climates and environments,” explained Steve Wirtz, PPG liquid application manager, 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. The abilities to mimic actual production conditions and to test coatings applications on large and complex shapes and parts will enable our technical experts to work more closely with customers during development, offering new opportunities for identifying and addressing potential problems and for coatings application training.”

Kevin Braun, PPG vice president, industrial coatings, Americas, said, “At PPG, we understand the challenges and demands our customers face every day, and we collaborate to help solve them. 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. We strive to help our customers reduce manufacturing complexities and make coated products that protect and beautify their products.”