PPG's Coatings Operations Achieve Global Environmental Certification

The certification revolves around international standards for environmental compliance and energy efficiency.

"Environmental performance is a key factor in our global competitiveness," said Michael A. Ludlow, PPG's senior vice president, OEM coatings. "Earning the ISO-14001 certification will pay short- and long-term dividends in retaining and expanding PPG's leadership position in the global coatings marketplace."

A single ISO-14001 certificate covers PPG's entire worldwide coatings operation, according to David C. Cannon Jr., PPG's vice president, environment, health and safety (EHS).

"We saw this as an opportunity to align efforts and minimize costs," Cannon said. "While we already had an excellent EHS strategy in place, ISO-14001 has some specific requirements. Because of our existing EHS framework we were in a good position to meet those requirements and improve upon the system already in place."

It took PPG two years to achieve the certification, one year less than originally expected. The flexible policies and procedures that PPG's coatings businesses developed can also serve as a foundation, Cannon said, for development of ISO-14001 compliance strategies for other business units that decide to pursue the certification.

PPG's automotive glass business (comprising 13 facilities in North America) also earned ISO-14001 certification last month. Other PPG sites that have ISO-14001 certification include the Transitions Optical facility in Tuam, Ireland; and automotive refinish plants at Stowmarket, England, and Clayton, Victoria, Australia.

Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries is a global supplier of coatings, glass, fiber glass and chemicals, with 120 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates in 23 countries. Sales were $8.1 billion in 2002.