PPG is First Coatings Supplier to Win Exclusive Contract at Nissan Plant

    CANTON, Miss.--July 17, 2001--PPG Industries today became the first coatings manufacturer to be awarded an exclusive contract at a Nissan plant when the automaker announced PPG would be the sole supplier for its facility scheduled to begin production here in 2003.
    PPG will supply everything from pretreatments to clear coats at the 2.6-million-square-foot complex, which Nissan officials said when built will be able to produce 250,000 vehicles a year, ranging from full-size pickups and sports utility vehicles to a next-generation minivan.
    "We're delighted to support Nissan's continued growth in North America," said Richard Zahren, PPG vice president of automotive coatings. "We're also very proud of the confidence Nissan has shown in us to meet all of its coatings needs at this key facility."
    In addition, PPG has formed a joint venture with a local minority-owned business, Systems Consultants Associates of Jackson, Miss., to coat chassis frames, suspension parts and other underbody components as well as Nissan replacement parts with PPG anti-corrosion electrodeposition primer. The joint venture, Systems Electro Coating, will be minority owned and operate at a facility adjacent to the Nissan plant here.