PPG Industries Inc. has expanded its automotive research and development footprint in Cleveland with addition of a new and advanced automotive adhesives and sealants laboratory at its Cleveland Coatings Plant on Cleveland’s West Side.
Highly Technical and Test Focused Facility
PPG officials described the new space as a highly technical, testing-focused facility that they expect to grow as the automotive industry evolves and invests more heavily in the development of electric and autonomous vehicles.
“There are synergies with our existing facilities. But beyond that, Cleveland has a very strong technical community,”
said Gary Bennett, PPG Senior Global General Manager, Adhesives and Sealants. “We’re able to pull top talent into our organization.”
“It’s going to enable us to focus on not only our core business of making sealants or sound-dampening products to reduce vibrations but also, as we look forward, we’re excited about the electrification of vehicles,” Bennett said. “As the electrification of vehicles expands, we’re going to grow … with that growth.”
Developing Sealants for Electric-vehicle Batteries
Bennett said the purchase of state-of-the-art testing equipment and hiring of new, high-skilled employees brought the investment to more than seven figures. PPG expects that coatings and sealants required for electric-vehicle batteries will be developed and tested at the lab. “It is a critical cog in our growth wheel,” Bennet added.
Vehicles are coated with several layers of products, including clear and top coats. PPG develops and manufactures various types of coatings. At the Cleveland Coatings Plant, there are facilities dedicated to specific products as well as to specific original equipment manufacturers, such as Ford and General Motors.
Research Focus on Electric Vehicles
In addition to next-generation automobiles such as electric vehicles, the lab’s research will focus on reducing the weight of coatings, and therefore of vehicles. That’s a priority, Bennett explained, because lighter vehicles result in better fuel efficiency for vehicles with internal combustion engines, and in longer ranges for electric vehicles.
Source: PPG Industries Inc.