PPG Industries’ protective and marine coatings (PMC) business announced that it has manufactured more than 100,000 gallons of coatings in a new small batch process that began operation at its Little Rock, Arkansas, manufacturing facility in January.

PPG invested in the new batch process to satisfy customers’ needs for small quantities and made-to-order products such as military-specified coatings, PSX polysiloxanes and MEGASEAL flooring coatings.

According to Diane Kappas, PPG vice president, Americas, PMC, “Through customer interviews and commercial feedback, we learned that our customers needed faster turnaround on small and custom batch orders from their coatings supplier. For this reason, it made sense to invest in this new small batch processing operation in Little Rock.”

She said the process has helped PPG decrease order lead times for small batches by more than half, which in turn helps its customers improve their responsiveness. “This investment demonstrates PPG’s continued commitment to improving its overall service to customers and enabling them to be more successful.”

PPG has operated the Little Rock, Arkansas, facility since 2006, when it acquired the plant with the Ameron International product finishes division. The Little Rock plant is PPG’s largest protective and marine coatings manufacturing facility in the Americas.

PPG is a world leader in protective and marine coatings. Its products protect customer assets in some of the world’s most demanding conditions and environments, such as projects in energy, infrastructure and marine markets. PPG PMC features lines such as the AMERCOAT and SIGMA COATINGS brands.