PPG and Chery automobile opens color creation lab in China

PPG has announced a collaboration with automaker Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. to open a color creation laboratory. At the factory located in Wuhu, China, PPG color designers and Chery designers will create new colors for Chery manufacturing plants based on specific vehicle designs, from initial color suggestions to final materials.

"As a leading single-source paint supplier in the automotive manufacturing industry, PPG is pleased to collaborate with Chery, a company that values technological innovation and sustainable production, "said Thomas Li, the Vice President of PPG Automotive Coatings Asia Pacific. "We will use our global leadership to predict future trends while advancing Chery's paint technology for the next generation of cars."

Federico Menta, the Global Director of PPG Automotive Coatings and Decorative Coatings said: "The Color Creation Laboratory is the culmination of 20 years of collaboration between PPG and Chery. Through this cooperation, we will strengthen vehicle’s color planning and management by combining our professional fields, and design efficient processes to provide car buyers with the ideal purchasing experience and color choices they want."

The Color Creation Laboratory will provide innovative solutions for color digitization, analysis, and evaluation of automotive internal and external parts. This process will include extensive sampling and formula testing to ensure that the new colors have a uniform appearance, provide appropriate adhesion, and extend durability during mass production and application in automotive factories.

PPG has been providing coatings for Chery's coating production lines since 2003. In 2008, PPG opened an automotive paint factory in Wuhu to support Chery and other Chinese manufacturers. When Chery opened its factory in Qingdao in 2022, it adopted the PPG B1: B2 compact coating system, which simplified the coating process by eliminating the need for a separate primer layer. The application of this system requires less energy, enabling the Qingdao factory to improve efficiency. Earlier this year, Chery introduced the B1: B2 system at its Wuhu factory.