PPG Industries showcased environmentally sustainable coatings and specialty materials today during a news conference at the 2014 North American International Auto Show. The company’s products are used by automakers and automotive suppliers to enhance manufacturing efficiencies, reduce energy consumption and improve fuel efficiency.

“For automakers, PPG offers more than the brilliance and shine our coatings are known for bringing to the exteriors of automobiles,” said Cindy Niekamp, PPG senior vice president, automotive coatings. “Our products help manufacturers reduce energy and water consumption during the production process and decrease the waste produced. Many PPG products help make vehicles lighter or improve the rolling resistance of tires, enabling automakers and suppliers to produce the fuel-efficient vehicles that today’s consumers demand.”

The company highlighted ZIRCOBOND pretreatment, a “green,” corrosion-effective pretreatment that reduces water use and waste and increases energy efficiency. The pretreatment can save the average North American assembly plant 16 million gallons of water per year – the equivalent of 380,000 10-minute showers. In addition, the company introduced ENVIRO-PRIME EPIC electrocoat, which uses a metal-free catalyst to address environmental and conflict-mineral concerns.

“As automotive manufacturers strive to meet environmental regulations, material substitution will be as critical as alternative powertrain technologies and innovative body designs,” said Tom Kerr, PPG vice president, fiber glass. “Our collaborations with design engineers and automotive material suppliers enable the development of lightweight, cost-effective solutions to meet these requirements.”

Additional products highlighted at the news conference included:
·         SPECTRACRON ZRC coating, a zinc-rich technology, enables manufacturers to leverage the reduced thickness of a metal substrate to make lighter underbody parts and improve fuel efficiency.
·         DURANAR polymer coating for trim protects substrates that can be used to replace stainless and heavy alloys while assisting manufacturers in light-weighting vehicles.
·         Precipitated silicas are used in various automotive applications, mainly as reinforcing fillers in tire tread and non-tread rubber compounds. HI-SIL silicas help reduce the rolling resistance of tires, contributing to greater vehicle fuel efficiency. AGILON performance silicas build on the benefits of silica-filled treads while enhancing productivity and reducing environmental impact for tire manufacturers.