PPG announced the opening of a new architectural paint and coatings color automation laboratory in Milan, Italy. The $2.1 million (€2 million) facility will significantly increase the speed of developing paint color formulations.

The facility will provide up to 100,000 paint color matches annually, providing master paint color formulations for new colors and existing colors when they are reformulated. The laboratory’s automated system dispenses colorants and base paint samples, mixes them, applies them and measures them, without manual inputs.

“The new paint color automation laboratory will further strengthen our leadership in color and reflects our goal of providing innovative solutions to address our customers’ needs,” said Rita Di Leo, PPG color application engineering manager, Milan. “It allows an increased number of products, improved paint color accuracy and faster time to market for new color collections.”

The Milan facility is a European hub for PPG product development and a global center of excellence for color hosting laboratories for paints and coatings for the automotive refinish, architectural, packaging and industrial markets. This includes two color matching automation lines for automotive refinish paints and coatings, and a new research and development facility for powder coatings that includes a design and color showroom.

“The investment in our Milan facility demonstrates our long-term commitment to enhance our research capabilities to better serve our customers,” said Parag Akre, global color director, Architectural Coatings. “It makes the site a true center of excellence for paint color and gives an increased opportunity for collaboration with our research colleagues at the Milan site as One PPG.”