PPG today announced the opening of its China Application Innovation Center (CAIC) in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, China. The facility is the company’s first cross-business research and development (R&D) center in the region, serving as a bridge between innovation and customer applications for its industrial, packaging and automotive refinish coatings businesses.
The CAIC is located in the Jiangsu Yangtze River International Chemical Industrial Park, which is adjacent to PPG’s Zhangjiagang manufacturing plant. The center’s advanced, automated equipment and technologies enable PPG to simulate the diverse environments and climates where PPG paints and coatings may be applied. This allows PPG scientists to test the properties of coating technologies, provide industry-leading color design, and offer customers more customized, high-quality paint products and solutions for broad applications.
The CAIC location also will enable PPG to quickly move newly developed applications to trial production at its Zhangjiagang plant, enabling increased speed to market for PPG innovations and accelerating product and service customization.
“The Zhangjiagang CAIC will play an essential role by fostering further collaboration between PPG businesses, increasing efficiency in product development and testing, and introducing more innovative applications and products to the Chinese market,” said Vincent Robin, PPG president, Asia Pacific. “This investment is an important step for PPG, honoring our commitment to the development of sustainable products, new applications and advanced technology in China and reinforcing our leadership in the industry.”
Added David Bem, PPG vice president, science and technology and chief technology officer, “CAIC is a critical component of PPG’s global lab footprint and further demonstrates our strong commitment to invest in China, our employees and our customers. The CAIC will cover broad markets and customer needs that range from electronic materials to packaging coatings under one roof, making it easier for the PPG science and technology team to provide value-added solutions to our customers.”
“CAIC is set to accelerate PPG innovation, research and development in China by sharing PPG global best practices, cutting-edge technologies and sustainable products,” said Cathy Yan, PPG general manager, corporate and government affairs, Asia Pacific. “This is in full alignment with the objectives and proposals put forward by the Chinese government in its 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2021-2025). The sustainable development of the Chinese market and the continuous improvement of the investment environment have further enhanced PPG's confidence in increasing investment and long-term development in the country.”
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