PPG Industries opens new research and development center in China

SUZHOU, China, Aug. 23, 2007 – PPG Industries today celebrated the opening of a new research and development center here with a ceremony involving government and corporate officials. The center will develop environmentally-friendly coatings, helping PPG better respond to the Chinese government’s call for energy efficiency and emission reduction.

Ceremony participants included officials from Suzhou Municipal Government, Suzhou National Hi-tech Park Administrative Committee and other government bodies, as well as Dr. James Trainham, PPG vice president, science and technology; Dr. Alan Wang, technical director, PPG Asia/Pacific region; and other PPG executives.

The new center will promote product development and provide technical service and application support for Chinese customers in coatings and fiber glass, especially those in Eastern China. There are about 60 staff members at the center to help serve the region. Research and development efforts will focus on saving energy and protecting the environment, including developing environmentally-friendly products that use less solvents and petroleum-based raw materials, and improving manufacturing processes by reducing energy consumption.

The center is located in the Suzhou National Hi-Tech Industrial Park (SND), along with three PPG factories. Building the technical center in SND makes it easy to provide support to PPG’s nearby manufacturing facilities and takes advantage of SND’s good investment environment, advantageous geographical location and competitive investment policy.

PPG spends more than US$330 million for research and development annually and has R&D centers for coatings, glass, fiber glass and chemicals around the world. The company has two other development centers in China, located in Tianjin and Suzhou. The new center will share facility support with the existing Suzhou center, which is located 5 minutes away.

In 2006, PPG’s business in the Asia/Pacific region increased 45 percent over 2005, and during the same time, the company’s business in China increased 60 percent. PPG has acquired several international coatings companies the past two years, expanding its product lines and strengthening its competitiveness in the global market.

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