Around the world PPG products are part of day-to-day life. Indeed, on any given day you will almost certainly experience the world of PPG coatings at home, at work and on the journey in between without even knowing it. PPG products play key roles in an extraordinary variety of industries and applications and this is reflected in the company’s latest tagline, PPG: We protect and beautify the world™.
Founded in 1883 as Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., the initial focus was on flat glass production but the company has diversified significantly over the years, including into coatings products as early as 1900. As a result of its diversification, growth and an increasing global presence, the name was changed to PPG Industries in 1968. While operating on a global scale, in more than 70 countries, PPG also chooses to manufacture locally – the world-wide network of around 120 production facilities incorporates local sites, such as Clayton (Victoria), Villawood (NSW) and Auckland (New Zealand). For example, all of the company’s architectural coatings for the local market are made in Australia for well-known brands, TAUBMANS
®, BRISTOL
® and WHITE KNIGHT
®. These are brands which Australian homeowners trust to provide excellent durability, as well as a vast range of fashionable colours, including a uniquely Australian colour palette. It’s worth noting that
Taubmans is actually Australia’s oldest paint company, having been established as a manufacturer more than 110 years ago.
Architectural coatings aren’t the only way PPG contributes to the buildings we see around us. PPG Coil & Extrusion Coatings allow painted metal (roofs, walls, etc.) to become beautiful, yet durable, features of modern residential and commercial constructions. Indeed, PPG is Australia’s leading producer of coil coatings which, despite being just ¼ of the thickness of an A4 sheet of copying paper, are able to keep their excellent appearance year after year in rain, hail and harsh UV exposure. And when the going really gets tough, PPG Protective & Marine Coatings (PMC) has the answers. Think of the battering dished out to equipment and infrastructure in some of the most demanding conditions on the planet – for example, mining, shipping, rail, the power industry, civil buildings and offshore structures. It is in these brutal environments where PPG PMC’s high tech product portfolio excels by offering long term protection.
Asset protection is also the name of the game for PPG Commercial Performance Coatings and its diverse range has the capability to coat anything from bare metal through to concrete surfaces. Whether it is the trailer you are towing, the earthmoving equipment at the local quarry or the massive industrial project being built down the road, chances are you will find Commercial Performance Coatings products. You don’t even have to look that far for examples of PPG General Industrial Coatings. It’s quite possible they are all around you, from the shiny, protective surfaces on kitchen and laundry appliances, office furniture and bicycle frames through to toolboxes, barbeques and machinery – the list goes on! Other PPG products are well and truly hidden in plain sight in the form of PPG Packaging Coatings. Since it began making packaging coatings in 1940, PPG has expanded to become one of the largest and most diversified packaging coatings providers in the world with products applied to virtually every type of container (from soft drink cans to hair spray canisters) you are likely to see in your pantry, fridge, laundry, bathroom, etc.
Although PPG is the world’s largest supplier of transportation coatings, the sector which might not immediately come to mind is aviation. As well as being a major supplier of aircraft coatings, PPG Aerospace is also the world’s leading manufacturer of flight deck windows and aircraft sealant. Its advanced technology coatings save precious application time and weight and even help to keep aircraft cool, as well as looking good.
For many readers, its PPG automotive coatings which will be the most familiar. The company’s strong, long term partnerships with vehicles manufacturers (car, truck and motorcycle) has seen PPG products and technical expertise play an integral part on production lines around the world and this flows on to the vehicle refinish sector. Today, PPG is Australia’s most popular refinish brand with the largest market share. Indeed, PPG’s eco-friendly ENVIROBASE
® High Performance waterborne paint system is the country’s dominant refinish system by a clear margin. The fact that collision repair centres have chosen to use this cleaner, greener technology when there is no legislation compelling them to change from solvent-borne technology, speaks volumes about the real world speed and efficiency it achieves.
Despite being surrounded by an extraordinary number of colourfully coated surfaces each and every day, few of us stop to consider it. And why should we, it’s simply part of the modern world we live in. Thanks to over 135 years of experience, PPG is able to offer a remarkable diversity of innovative and advanced product solutions which cover an extraordinary range of surfaces in an astonishing number of market segments. In each one of them the key aim is to protect assets, add colour and make the world a more beautiful place, no matter where you look!
For more information about PPG’s products and services across Australia and New Zealand visit www.ppgrefinish.com.au or call PPG’s Customer Service Hotline 13 24 24 (Aust) or 0800 320 320 (NZ)