PPG Hosts Students at U.S. Facilities for National Manufacturing Day

National Manufacturing Day is organized by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) to address the skilled labor shortage, connect with future generations of manufacturers and ensure ongoing success of the manufacturing industry. More than 2,000 events are being held by various manufacturers nationwide on and around this year’s designated day of Friday, Oct. 6.

PPG on Friday held events at its facilities in Oak Creek, Wis.; Oakwood, Ga.; Huntsville, Ala.; Barberton, Ohio; Delaware, Ohio; Reno, Nev.; East Point, Ga.; Mt Vernon, Ill.; and Dover, Del.; as well as its Houston, Temple and Carrollton plants in Texas.

BARBERTON, OHIO
PPG hosted a group of about 50 students from Barberton High School at its Barberton facility. PPG employees led a tour of the plant and training center to educate students on the facility’s operations, products and career opportunities.

The PPG Foundation donated $21,000 in grants to the University of Akron for its Women in Engineering, Corrosion Engineering and Increasing Diversity in Engineering Academic Scholarships (IDEAS) programs.
 
PPG’s Barberton plant employs about 160 people and manufactures specialty materials. These include optical casting resins for eyewear applications; TESLIN substrate, which is a synthetic printing sheet used in a wide variety of applications that include security and loyalty cards; and design silicas used in the manufacture of paints, tires and reinforced rubber products. The plant also manufactures organic light-emitting diode (OLED) products used in smartphone screens.
 
The plant visit for students interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, the trades and plant maintenance included an overview of how PPG products are made and operations at the facility. Participants also visited with the environment, health and safety team to learn about emergency equipment used at the facility.
 
“Whether the students decide to attend a four-year college or a vocational school, there are well-paying jobs available in manufacturing,” said Ted Ladd, PPG plant manager, Barberton.

CARROLLTON, TEXAS
PPG hosted chemical, mechanical and material science engineering students from the University of Texas at Dallas at its Carrollton facility. 
 
PPG employees led students on an interactive tour of the plant and training center. The students learned about paint products and their manufacturing processes, met plant leadership, participated in an educational presentation, learned about safety procedures in the manufacturing environment and explored career opportunities in PPG and manufacturing. The students also had an opportunity to ask questions and interact with PPG employees during an open forum.
 
“We hope that the site observations and staff interactions will help inspire students to consider careers in manufacturing,” said Hank Saunders, PPG plant manager, Carrollton.
 
PPG’s Carrollton plant employs about 125 people and produces paints for home improvement and paint retailers nationwide including GLIDDEN paint and PPG PROLUXE wood finishes.

DELAWARE, OHIO
Students from Buckeye Valley School District, Dempsey Middle School, Big Walnut School District and Plain City High School met PPG employees, and received a tour of the plant.
 
The plant employs about 390 people. It produces resins and coatings for the automotive refinish and collision market, as well as resins for the packaging, industrial and automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) market.
 
“We get excited to show students the plant and educate them about PPG every chance we get – especially on National Manufacturing Day,” said Chuck Kochanski, PPG plant manager, Delaware. “There are a variety of great, skilled jobs in manufacturing, and we’re always looking to educate and inspire the next generation of employees.”

HOUSTON
PPG had a booth at the Gulf Coast Advanced Manufacturing Conference with the goal to educate students on its Houston plant’s manufacturing process, products and career opportunities. State and national industry leaders presented industry trends and their impact on workforce development during a conference at Houston Community College.
 
PPG’s Houston plant employs approximately 60 people and manufactures well-known architectural paints, including PPG PAINTS, GLIDDEN paint and OLYMPIC paint and stain brands.

Production, maintenance, distribution and receiving managers from the plant distributed information, displayed finished architectural coatings products and presented an informational video about PPG’s manufacturing process at the event.
 
“PPG is always looking to educate students and the community about what we make and how we make it,” said John Brandon, PPG plant manager, Houston.

OAK CREEK
Students from Oak Creek High School received a tour of the PPG facility and neighboring Yaskawa America and AIM Transfer & Storage to learn about the manufacturing industry and how it impacts the world through products or services. State Representative Jessie Rodriguez (21^stDistrict) and Oak Creek Mayor Dan Bukiewicz attended the event. PPG’s Oak Creek facility employs about 550 people and manufactures an array of paint and coatings used in the industrial, automotive and packaging sectors.
 
“There is significant growth taking place in southeastern Wisconsin within manufacturing, and this is creating abundant opportunities for a range of students, from those entering the trades to those going to college for chemistry or engineering,” said Jack Marshall, PPG plant manager, Oak Creek. “Whatever the career interest, there is a sustainable future here thanks to manufacturing.”
 
The PPG Foundation also granted $10,000  to Discovery World Science + Technology Center.

Discovery World’s mission is to provide fun and educational experiences through interactive exhibits and educational programs for families and students in Milwaukee, the region and the state of Wisconsin. The organization generates excitement for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and careers in the minds of children, even before they head to high school and beyond.

TEMPLE, TEXAS
PPG held an informational community event at its Temple plant. 
 
The event enabled the company to interact with and give back to the community; showcase what it does; and demonstrate the importance of manufacturing and the opportunities it presents. Attendees toured the manufacturing and research and development facility, and viewed a demonstration of how PPG makes its products. The Temple plant employs about 60 people and manufactures a variety of adhesives, caulks and sealants, including the LIQUID NAILS brand.
 
“We actively engage with the community because we want students and community members to understand what PPG does and the opportunities that are available to them through our company,” said Luis Santiago, PPG plant manager, Temple.