PPG announced it will invest $300 million in advanced manufacturing in North America to support increased demand for paints and coatings in the automotive industry. These investments will commence in 2024 and span a four-year period. As part of the initiative, PPG will build a new paint and coatings manufacturing plant in Loudon County, Tennessee.

The 250,000-square-foot facility, PPG's first new manufacturing plant to be built in the U.S. in more than 15 years, will initially produce paints and coatings products and solutions for automakers and automotive parts suppliers. The facility could eventually supply other industrial segments, including transportation, heavy duty equipment, building and construction, and consumer products. Once fully operational, the facility will employ approximately 130 full-time employees and produce more than 11 million gallons of paint and coatings annually.

Construction of the facility will begin in August 2024 and is expected to be completed in 2026. PPG's advanced manufacturing investments will also enhance and expand activities at existing facilities in Cleveland, Ohio and San Juan Del Rio, Mexico. The investments cover new equipment and processes that will increase manufacturing efficiencies, resulting in improved processing times, and will expand PPG's capabilities to meet growing demand for sustainable solutions, such as waterborne coatings.

The investment represents a strategic, growth-focused investment for PPG, but does not represent a change in the company's overall capital investment spending levels, which will be consistent with prior years.