PPG Industries: "Green" Concept in Core Business     

Despite the public impressions of many questions in the safety of many chemical products and the way the industry assumes the risks of manufacturing, transporting, and handling chemical products, chemical industry provides a pathway towards helping meet society's needs. More and more well-respected enterprises in the chemical engineering industry have pledged to manage their business in accordance with the principles of Responsible Care since the green concept was brought in to the industry decades ago, and their efforts have been coming to fruition. While, it is not enough for them to just re-adjust and optimize the industrial structure and the product portfolio, better communication will help to clean up misunderstanding between the enterprise and local people and reassure the public, especially when facing incident stuck in the development progress of chemical industry.
   PPG Industries, a global supplier of paints, coatings, optical products, specialty materials, chemicals, glass and fiber glass, inspires by example in both green production and communication.
    PPG's sales in 2009 were US$12.2 billion. In the same year, more than three percent of PPG's annual sales went toward R&D, and nearly 30% of PPG's sales were from "green" products. Also in the year, PPG introduced 65 new products, 38 of which were formulated expressly to promote environmental sustainability by reducing energy consumption, VOC emissions and water use. In 2010, PPG is promoting "Ecological Solutions" products on a global scale, incorporating the "green" concept into its core business.
   Take the case of its business and activities in China. PPG Tianjin's manufacturing facility has boasted healthy growth since its establishment in 1994. Response to the increasing demand for eco-friendly waterborne products and technologies in the local market, at present, the facility is expanding its waterborne coatings capacity with an investment of US$10 million. Phase I of the expansion was completed recently, and the company's annual capacity of waterborne automotive and industrial coatings reaches about 4 000 tons. Annual output is expected to increase to about 10 000 tons when Phase II of the project is completed. In August 2008, PPG's Wuhu automobile coatings plant began production, serving automotive manufacturers in eastern, southern and central China. In October 2009, PPG set up its first resin production facility in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, to offer environmentally responsible electrodeposition resins for automotive and industrial customers. The Zhangjiagang resin plant will be a "model plant" in terms of its environmental features, and it will incorporate PPG's "green" building materials such as low-volatile organic compound (low-VOC) coatings and low emissive glass. The plant is due for operation in early 2011.
   "PPG would also like to give timely assistance rather than only make things more perfect. Since entering into a China, PPG has been keeping a close eye on hot topics and urgent demands in local communities and conduct relevant activities. PPG Industries has supplied 'green' products in support of World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, including low-emissivity (low-e) glass and low-volatile organic compound (VOC) coatings for expo pavilions as well as waterborne paints to protect more than 1 million square meters of elevated roads near the event, " said Cathy Yan, General Manager, Government Affairs and Business Development, Asia Pacific.
   "Despite the rapid sales development in China, PPG are not just for the profit as we doing business here, we also have done lots of work for the public good, " She gives  an example: through the 'PPG Care Library Project' launched in September 2009, PPG is helping to rebuild 50 libraries and donating more than 150 000 books and environmentally responsible coatings to schools in Zitong county, one of the most earthquake-stricken regions in Sichuan province, with a total donation valued at more than RMB 4 million.
    "When interacting with the Chinese government, PPG values their suggestion and also actively help them to upgrade the overall level of development. For example, with the strategic cooperation from PPG Industries, Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) and Yale University jointly initiated TEDA-Yale Executive Leadership Program in May this year, aims at widening global horizons and refining strategic management of business executives and senior government officials of Tianjin and Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA)." She added.
   Big disaster is relatively small probability event in the whole development progress of chemical industry. Enterprises should learn from lessons of the accidents (like the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in mid-April) and minimize the harm. As what Kevin J. Fay, P.E., Director of Product & Supply Chain Stewardship, says: "Something that's important to PPG is that you have to make sure that the manufactory processes are safe. You must do your best to train your people, to respond to your emergencies, to do everything you can think of to ensure that you never get problem so big. We try our best everyday to have things under control."