PPG announced the completion of a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® project at Lipetsk State Technical University (LTSU) in Lipetsk, Russia. The company also will provide funding to LTSU for scientific equipment and a series of internships.

The project brought together 14 PPG volunteers, who spent 124 hours revitalizing the hallways at LTSU. The volunteers painted one of the halls with murals according to a chemistry design made by local artist Daniil Bely, whose portfolio includes high-profile public projects. The goal of the design is to remind students of science’s many contributions to society and its importance.

PPG provided around 40 gallons (150 liters) of TIKKURILA coatings, including Tikkurila Euro Primer and TIKKURILA LUJA 7 wall and ceiling paint, to cover more than 4,300 square feet (400 square meters) of surfaces.

PPG also provided $28,000 (2 million roubles) to fund the purchase of 19 items of scientific equipment for coatings-related disciplines as well as student scientific and technological research. This includes a nitrogen generator, adhesion tester, thickness gauge and a number of other devices and tools. LSTU students with relevant specializations also will be offered internship opportunities at PPG’s automotive OEM and industrial coatings production facility in Lipetsk. This initiative will help young professionals gain practical work experience in the coatings industry and undergo additional training.

The Colorful Communities program provides PPG volunteers and products along with financial contributions to bring color and vitality to communities where the company operates around the world.

“Supporting education in the technology disciplines is one of PPG’s global priorities,” said Olga Kolevatova, PPG country leader, Russia. “We also are delighted that this project is a part of The Colorful Communities program that has truly global outreach. It is very important for us to build long-term, productive relationships with the professional and scientific communities in the regions where we operate. We hope that our collaboration with LSTU will be beneficial for the university and will enable Lipetsk students to come closer to realizing their professional and scientific goals.”

“The tasks of higher education in the technology fields include providing future specialists with a solid scientific base and preparing them for the modern labor market,” said Elena Kalmykova, head, LTSU Chemistry Department. “Cooperation with companies that are willing to offer support for the educational process and also provide internship opportunities creates an advantage for our students in building their future careers. We hope that this experience will be successful for both students and PPG.”

PPG has been operating in Russia for 16 years. The company’s plant in Lipetsk is part of a special economic zone of industrial production that includes automotive, industrial, protective and marine coatings. The company also has an automotive OEM coatings plant in Kolomna and two architectural coatings plants in St. Petersburg.