Repaint Reporter

PPG ELECTROCOAT 1963-2013 I N N O V A T I V E YEARS PPG ELECTROCOAT 1963-2013 I N N O V A T I V E YEARS 4 INSIDe LINe PARTNERING PAYS OFF Not long ago I was asked for my take on the key differentiators that have forged PPG's way to its leadership position in refinish coatings. The obvious ones first came to mind, such as our best-in-class technology. Fast, accurate color delivery is another, along with our value-added training programs. Yet underlying all of these key strengths is a difference maker that can't be overlooked—our partnership approach to doing business with our customers. We value the input of our distributors and collision centers as critical to our mutual success. Just as important are the myriad opportunities we create throughout the year to interact directly with owners, managers, technicians and distributors; exchange information; and gain valuable feedback. No other company works harder to create these touch points than PPG. And the evidence is in the numbers. Our technical team and trainers met with over 13,000 paint technicians last year at 16 business development centers. Hundreds of collision center owners and managers attend our biannual MVP conferences, where they work on methodologies for improving business performance. More than 9,000 collision centers have participated in the MVP program since its inception, giving PPG an invaluable amount of feedback. For the distributor point of view, PPG holds annual conferences where some 350 Platinum Distributorships gather to assess the state of the industry and set plans for the future. Throughout the year, our Platinum Distributor Council holds forums for further discussion and feedback. Finally, and most importantly, is our refinish army of "feet on the street." PPG territory managers make up one of the largest forces of its kind and are in frequent contact with customers. Their up-to-date feedback is invaluable to our continuing effort to become a better partner. It's fair to say that we give more than lip service to partnering with customers. It's a key reason why I like our new advertising catchphrase so much: "The only thing that lasts longer than our paint is our commitment to you." It truly summarizes our mission and what sets PPG Refinish apart. PPG reaChes key waterBorne BaseCoat MIlestone More collision centers in the National Rule areas of North America are now using PPG waterborne products than in low VOC-regulated areas. Of the more than 9,000 collision centers in the U.S. and Canada using PPG waterborne basecoat technology, more than half are located in areas not required to meet current lower VOC limits, according to Tim Jones, PPG waterborne segment manager. "The wave of conversions has been remarkable," Jones said. "In areas not restricted by current or impending low-VOC compliance standards, more and more collision centers apparently are realizing the value of upgrading to this advanced refinish technology. They are making the change as a matter of preference." PPG CeleBrates 50 years of eleCtroCoat InnoVatIon 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the year PPG first commercially introduced electrocoat technology in an automotive OEM assembly plant. Over the past five decades, PPG electrocoat products and technologies have earned many accolades, including being named among Fortune Magazine's 100 products "America Makes Best," receiving the Presidential Green Chemistry Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and winning the Automotive News PACE Award for groundbreaking innovation. To date, more than 700 million vehicles worldwide had been coated with PPG electrocoat products. The total increases by about 90,000 per day. PPG aMonG "100 Best CorPorate CItIZens" CR Corporate Responsibility magazine has named PPG Industries as one of the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" for 2013. Now in its 14th year, the publication ranks all companies in the Russell 1000 Index based on publicly available information in seven categories: environment, climate change, employee relations, human rights, governance, finance and philanthropy. The list's creators assign a 19.5% weighting to environmental impact and employee relations, because they think consumers, shareholders and employees care most about these criteria. John Outcalt Vice President Global Refinish 4

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