PPG's Automotive Glass Operations Achieve Global Environmental Certification

    PITTSBURGH--March 12, 2003--PPG Industries has earned ISO-14001 certification for its centralized environmental management system and a total of 16 automotive glass manufacturing facilities across North America.
    The certification revolves around effectively managing an operation's impact on the environment.
    "We are proud of our environmental performance and firmly believe it is a key to our global competitiveness," said Barry J. McGee, vice president of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) glass. "Earning the ISO-14001 certification will pay short- and long-term dividends in retaining and expanding PPG's leadership position in the automotive glass marketplace."
    A single ISO-14001 certificate covers PPG's automotive glass operation, according to David C. Cannon Jr., PPG's vice president, environment, health and safety (EHS). The certificate covers automotive glass manufacturing facilities at Mount Zion, Ill.; Evansville, Ind.; Evart, Mich.; Crestline, Ohio; Creighton, Meadville and Tipton, Pa.; and Hawkesbury, Oshawa and Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. The ISO certification also extends to PPG's satellite facilities at customer sites at Talladega, Ala.; Newark, Del.; Suwanee, Ga.; O'Fallon, Mo.; and Alliston and Kitchener, Ontario
    "We saw the opportunity through this approach to earn the certification cost-efficiently and effectively," Cannon said.
    "While we already had an excellent EHS strategy in place, ISO-14001 has some specific requirements. Because of our existing EHS framework we were in excellent position to meet those requirements."
    It took PPG two years to achieve the certification, one year ahead of the original schedule. The flexible policies and procedures that PPG's automotive glass business developed can also serve as a foundation, Cannon said, for development of ISO-14001 compliance strategies for other PPG business units.
    The Cristal Laminado o Templado automotive glass plant in Tepeji del Rio, Mexico, (co-owned by PPG) has also earned ISO-14001 certification. PPG's 27 automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM), automotive refinish, industrial and packaging coatings facilities around the world also have ISO-14001 certification. Other PPG sites that have ISO-14001 certification include Transitions Optical facilities in Pinellas Park, Fla., and Tuam, Ireland; PPG Sipsy pharmaceutical fine chemicals facility in Avrille, France; and automotive refinish plants at Stowmarket, England, and Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
    Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries is a global supplier of glass, coatings, fiber glass and chemicals, with 120 manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates in 23 countries. Sales were $8.1 billion in 2002.
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