Pittsburgh-based PPG recently announced it will be investing more than $10 million in its Weingarten, Germany, facility to expand automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coatings production.
The project includes constructing a 10,000-square foot addition with the capacity to produce more than 5,000 metric tons of waterborne basecoats annually.
Waterborne technology uses distilled water to replace the solvents found in traditional basecoats. This process improves air quality in the work environment and produces less odor.
“This is an important investment to strengthen our production capabilities in Europe and to ensure that we are leveraging our industry-leading waterborne technology to drive downstream sustainability, helping our customers meet their sustainability goals,” Roald Johannsen, PPG vice president of automotive OEM coatings for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, said. “Weingarten is a particularly strategic site due to its proximity to several of our key German OEM customers.”
Work is expected to be completed during the second quarter.
PPG has been investing in its European automotive OEM coatings production. Investments include expanding clearcoat production in Erlenbach, Germany, and basecoat production in Valladolid, Spain.
These investments are expected to lower the company’s operational carbon footprint by more than 1,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.