In late May, PPG invited me to attend its “Future of Coatings Technology” Innovation Media Day at the company’s location in Amsterdam. The evening before the event, several PPG subject matter experts and senior European business leaders joined the editors and journalists for an amazing dinner at Kaagman & Kortekaas, an informal bistro in the heart of the city. Seated in the open kitchen, we enjoyed watching the chef prepare each unique and delicious course.

I had the opportunity to sit near and get to know Roald Johannsen, Vice President EMEA Automotive OEM Coatings (Roald is also the current chair of CEPE); Mats Hägerström, Sustainability Leader EMEA; William Brunat, Global Technical Director Product Development Automotive Coatings and Mobility; and Andrew Wood, Senior Communications Partner EMEA.

Innovation Media Day was packed with information about the company and its latest coatings innovations, including plenty of networking time to ask the experts our questions. I enjoyed meeting Jerome Zamblera, Vice President EMEA Automotive Refinish Coatings; Camila Gazotto, Corporate Communications; Marco Zwart, Business Unit Director Retail Benelux and UK Architectural Coatings; and Thierry Destruhaut, Customer Sustainability Business Partner, Automotive OEM Coatings.

I especially appreciated the hands-on demonstrations that experts provided on a variety of the company’s newest technologies. You can view the slideshow below to see several pictures from the event.

PPG introduced coatings innovations for a variety of markets — architectural, industrial, marine, powder, packaging and automotive, to name a few. Below is a snapshot of some of the technologies that were featured.

• PPG dielectric coating solutions for electronic vehicle (EV) batteries. The coatings enable EV manufacturers to maintain battery safety and address problems known to shorten battery life. Additionally, they can be applied more efficiently and effectively in large-scale mass production while conforming to complex shapes. They support sustainability and carbon goals due to 100% solids, low to zero VOCs and material efficiency.
• PPG CORACHAR™ battery fire protection coatings for EVs cover a wide range of applications, including battery pack assemblies and energy storage devices. The coatings improve light-weighting, increase battery performance, and support passenger and first-responder safety in case of a fire.
• PPG SOLARON BLUE PROTECTION™ UV+ blocking technology provides enhanced and durable protection for aircraft windows against ultraviolet exposure and high-energy visible blue light, helping to address a key concern for the aviation industry. The technology is used for aircraft transparency applications, including cockpit and cabin windows.
• The PPG MOONWALK™ refinish automated paint mixing system saves labor time, reduces waste and transforms the refinish mixing room into a clean and safe environment. Paint technicians and body shop managers benefit from the extreme accuracy coming from the automation of the mixing process, improving speed, quality and color consistency.
• PPG SIGMAGLIDE^® 1290 fouling release marine coating prevents the adherence of marine fouling on vessel hulls. Its ultra-smooth, low-friction surface prevents fouling species from attaching to vessels while reducing power demand by up to 20%, providing an important contribution to helping the shipping industry meet key sustainability goals, including lower carbon emissions.

Several more coating technologies were introduced as well. We're featuring an interesting new retroreflective powder coating, PPG ENVIROCRON™ LUM, in this issue’s Product Focus department. You can view it here.

It was a whirlwind trip over and back “across the pond” in two days, but I'm glad that I went. I look forward to featuring more details on some of these new technologies in future articles for the magazine and our website. Many thanks to PPG for the wonderful hospitality and for inviting PCI to attend!