PPG to Enhance Precipitated Silica Production Capacity in North America

PITTSBURGH -- PPG Industries (NYSE: PPG) announced that it is increasing its precipitated silica production capacity at the Lake Charles, La., manufacturing location by more than 22,000 tons per year in response to growing demand.

"Last year, we announced an increase in our global precipitated silica production capacity of more than 18,000 tons per year through phased expansion projects at our Lake Charles, La., and Delfzijl, Netherlands, manufacturing locations," said Kevin Braun, PPG general manager, silica products. "Our plan is on-schedule and these projects are already online or scheduled to be online by the end of 2012.

"We expect continued market growth in the coming years, and this investment will enable us to keep pace with the growing needs of key strategic customers and segments in the Americas," Braun added. "This new project reinforces PPGs commitment to the precipitated silica market and to manufacturing silica products in Lake Charles."

Braun said the silica products business and its production assets and employees are part of PPGs Optical and Specialty Materials reporting segment, and they are not included in the announced separation of PPGs commodity chemicals business and its subsequent merger with Georgia Gulf Corp.

According to Braun, the new expansion project is expected be online by early 2014, with employment at the site increasing slightly as a result.

PPG pioneered the development of synthetic precipitated silicas, becoming one of the first manufacturers to bring them to market in the 1930s. Today, PPGs silica products business is a global leader in the manufacture of precipitated silica for use as reinforcing fillers in tire, industrial, footwear, and silicone rubber applications; as microporous fillers in battery separator applications; as flatting and thickening agents in coating, adhesive, and sealant applications; and as anti-caking, free-flow, and carrier agents in food, feed, and industrial applications. The business also makes TESLIN substrate, a microporous sheet material used for card, specialty print, in-mold graphic, tag and label use, as well as technology-focused applications such as e-passports and radio frequency identification (RFID) cards and labels.

About PPG

PPG Industries vision is to continue to be the worlds leading coatings and specialty products company. Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company. Founded in 1883, PPG has global headquarters in Pittsburgh and operates in more than 60 countries around the world. Sales in 2011 were $14.9 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG).