PPG announced the completion of a $15 million investment at its Sylmar, California manufacturing facility to expand the development and production of aircraft transparency technologies for military aviation programs, including canopy transparencies for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets. As part of the facility’s 30,000-square-foot (2,787-square-meter) expansion, PPG will deploy processing equipment and new information technology infrastructure to enable enhanced digital manufacturing capabilities. The expansion also will enable PPG to add more than 70 engineering, production and maintenance jobs, with some filled through the company’s partnership with local charitable organizations such as the Hope Gardens Family Center through Union Rescue Mission. The facility’s expansion is the latest milestone in PPG’s long partnership with Lockheed Martin, which dates to the 1950s. In support of the expansion, the company has completed the qualification and manufacturing process approvals necessary to commence production of canopy transparencies for the conventional take-off and landing F-35A and carrier variance F-35C. Qualification work in support of the Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing F-35B is underway. The Sylmar facility currently has more than 500 employees in various manufacturing, technical, research, customer support and related service and administrative positions.