Sustainably Advantaged Products
Our products and processes help make our customers – and the world – more sustainable.
Our products and processes help make our customers – and the world – more sustainable. Here are recent examples of their sustainability in action.
We have the power
Introduced in March 2019, PPG POWERCRON® 160 anionic epoxy electrocoat (e-coat) technology earned a prestigious 2019 R&D® 100 Award in the Mechanical/Materials category. The coating enables high film builds (greater than 6 mils) over multiple substrates and pretreatment chemistries. Previously, anionic e-coats had to be matched to specific pretreatments and metal substrates, which added complexity, cost and energy use to the coatings process. PPG Powercron 160 coating has lower volatile organic compound content and cures at lower temperatures than conventional anionic e-coats, further reducing energy use and emissions.
In a better light
At flight altitudes for jet aircraft, ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure is approximately three times that at sea level. PPG windows featuring our breakthrough PPG SOLARON BLUE PROTECTION™ UV+ blocking technology block 99% of UVA and UVB radiation and more than 50% of high-energy visible (HEV) light. The technology helps protect aircrews, passengers and aircraft interiors from harmful solar radiation without the optical, structural and other window properties being affected.
Gliding to sustainability
Fouling, which consists of marine organisms that attach to a ship’s hull, increases the resistance (known as drag) that a ship experiences when moving through the water. PPG SIGMAGLIDE™ Foil is an eco-friendly, 100% biocide-free fouling release foil that helps to reduce drag by up to 10% in comparison to antifouling technologies. Less drag improves a vessel’s fuel efficiency and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The foil also has zero volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions.
Out of this world paint mixing
PPG MOONWALK™ automated paint mixing system brings a new level of speed, precision, quality and color consistency to the body shop mixing process. The unique system replaces manual mixing processes with a splash-free, self-contained system that eliminates spills, transforming the refinish mixing room into a clean and safe environment. The PPG MoonWalk system also reduces paint waste through extreme mixing accuracy.
What’s produced offshore stays offshore
PPG technology developed for the automotive refinish market was the key to a breakthrough water treatment solution for offshore oil rigs. The membrane-based solution uses a new super hydrophilic (water-attracting) coating formulation that prevents oil from attaching to and fouling the filter. This allows rig operators to separate oil from wastewater at the well site rather than transporting water back to shore for further processing when filter cartridges become clogged and inefficient. The new technology increases oil recovery rates and eliminates shipping-related fuel consumption and emissions. The membrane technology is applicable to a wide range of industrial and wastewater processes where water reuse and waste reduction are desired.
Cultivating sustainable paint
We manufacture our new SEIGNEURIE™ Phylopur interior wall paint using a 97% bio-based resin produced from plants and industrial by-products. The renewable raw materials, which are cultivated according to a sustainable management method, reduce the use of fossil fuels and contribute to the paint’s very low VOC emissions.
Hung up on a solution
When a customer wanted to electrocoat (e-coat) rather than spray paint only part of its large truck fender frames, we didn’t get hung up on the solution. Instead, we designed a process where the frames are hung in such a way that only those areas that need to be e-coated are dipped into the coating tank. The solution minimizes waste, improves ergonomics and eliminates VOCs associated with spray paint. It also reduces the painting process’ annual energy consumption by 1,300 gigawatt hours, water use by 5 million gallons (18,927 cubic meters) and wastewater by 1 million gallons (3,785 cubic meters) due to increased throughput.