PPG is building its global production capabilities for waterborne coatings with recently completed improvements at the plant in Bắc Ninh province, northern Vietnam. The facility now boasts a new production line dedicated to premium water-based decorative and functional coatings for consumer electronics, as well as state-of-the-art testing equipment and automated spray booths.
PPG Expands Waterborne Coating Production in Bắc Ninh, Vietnam
“As a trusted supplier to global leading consumer electronics OEMs, PPG delivers next-generation solutions that not only enhance the durability, design and functionality of their products, but also helps these industry partners reduce their carbon footprints with coatings made with little to no solvents,” said Irene Tasi, PPG senior vice president, Industrial Coatings.
Now with six fully operational production lines, the plant’s expanded capabilities are expected to shorten turn-around times, accelerate new coatings development, and expand access to PPG’s best-in-class technical and customer support in the region.
“This investment represents another important step forward in our commitment of creating innovative, sustainable products that protect and enhance our communities around the world,” Le Dong Lam, PPG general manager, Southeast Asia, Industrial Coatings and country manager Vietnam.
In addition to formulations like AQUACRON® waterborne coatings, the plant will continue to produce SPECTRACRON® liquid coatings for transportation applications, DURANAR® coil and extrusion coating for architectural and building products, and RAYCRON® UV curable coatings for electronic materials.
Through the facility, manufacturing customers can also capitalize on PPG’s Secure Launch Excellence™ process, a comprehensive, step-by-step program designed to integrate new coating technologies into a manufacturers production line quickly and seamlessly.
The program, unique in the coatings industry, was designed to reduce time, waste and costs associated with multiple trials, ensuring that a new coating or color will work on a customer’s production line the first time, meeting exact customer specifications.
PPG’s waterborne coatings, along with the company’s growing portfolio of powder coatings and energy-curable solutions, play an important role in PPG’s commitment to achieving 50% of sales from sustainably advantaged products by 2030.
In conventional liquid coatings, chemical solvents are used to disperse key ingredients like resins, pigments and additives. In waterborne systems, water is the primary resin carrier. The absence or low volume of solvents reduces flammability risks and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, which helps manufacturers reduce their carbon footprints.
Lifecycle assessments (LCA) of various industrial coatings, including waterborne formulations, reveal that cutting emissions by as little as 20% can significantly reduce air harmful air pollution.
Rising interest in good environmental stewardship, tightening environmental regulations and evolutionary advancements in formulations will continue to fuel demand for waterborne technologies for a wider range of applications.