PPG Brings Paint and Coatings Expertise to the NHL

The National Hockey League (NHL) brings together the best hockey players in the world. The arenas are beautiful, and PPG is responsible for the paint and coatings. In December 2022,  PPG and the NHL announced a three-year extension of their North American partnership.

In addition, PPG was also a sponsor of the 2023 Discover NHL Winter Classic® featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins versus the Boston Bruins on Jan. 2. The PPG partnership included branded dasherboards, on-site activation and in-stadium signage. PPG will also receive Digitally Enhanced Dasherboards (DED) during the Stanley Cup Playoffs® throughout the agreement’s term.

“We are delighted to extend our partnership with PPG, a deeply committed NHL partner that engages our fans across numerous levels of our great game,” added Kyle McMann, NHL SVP, North American business development.

“We’re proud to combine the power of the NHL with PPG and its well-known consumer paint brands, including PPG PAINTS™, DULUX paint, SICO paint, GLIDDEN paint and OLYMPIC stains,” said Bryan Iams, PPG chief communications and government affairs officer, in announcing the renewal of the partnership.

Brittney Miller, marketing communications manager for corporate and government affairs for PPG, noted that PPG been the “Official Paint of the NHL®” since February 2017.

“Since the partnership’s inception, PPG has collaborated with the NHL to integrate its innovative products into the game of hockey,” Miller said. “PPG is also proud to protect and beautify hockey facilities all over North America with our portfolio of products for all construction and facility needs. For example, our PPG ENVIROCON Extreme Protection Powder Coating is used to protect NHL goals from chips and scuffs, and reduces maintenance needs during the hockey season throughout NHL arenas.”

In particular, PPG has particularly strong ties with the Penguins. After all, PPG is headquartered in Pittsburgh, and received naming rights for the Pittsburgh Penguins home in 2016, which will be in place for at least 20 years. The longstanding ties between PPG and the Penguins have led to numerous benefits

“As a fellow iconic brand in our headquarters community of Pittsburgh, PA, PPG has had a historical relationship of working with the Penguins,” Miller noted. “PPG products are found throughout PPG PAINTS ARENA, helping contribute to the building’s LEED certification upon completion in 2010.

“It is a natural fit for PPG work alongside the Pittsburgh Penguins to showcase our paints, coatings and specialty materials not only to hockey fans and consumers in the Pittsburgh market, but Penguins fans around the world,” she added.

What hockey fans probably don’t know is that PPG also supplies the color-changing thermochromic coatings to the pucks. These coatings inform referees when the pucks should be taken out of the game. Miller pointed out that the pucks, which are made of vulcanized rubber, are frozen to help them glide easily along the ice.

“When a puck starts warming to over 22˚F, it will start to bounce, making it difficult for players to accurately control, pass and shoot during the game,” Miller said. “PPG worked with our partner, LCR Hallcrest, to come up with a solution to this problem — an ink that tells referees when the puck is too warm and should be replaced. The ink is purple when frozen and turns to white when it is too warm. Once pucks are removed from play, they are never used again. Over 60,000 pucks are used per NHL season and have included the thermochromic coatings for the past four seasons.”

Miller noted that there are challenges when it comes to maintaining hockey arenas.

“Protecting stadiums and arenas from the effects of corrosion, moisture and general wear and tear are top concerns of facility maintenance,” Miller added. “PPG offers several different types of coating systems specially designed for high volume and frequent usage areas. PPG AMERLOCK 2 VOC hi-build epoxy and PSX-805 Engineered Polysiloxane are two products that help provide facilities with a proven sustainable, low-VOC protective coating system. Built to provide excellent chemical and abrasion resistance, these products also reduce maintenance painting cycles for stadiums and arenas.”