PPG has announced the official inauguration of its Packaging Coatings Innovation Centre, Europe in Bodelshausen, Germany.

The site’s newly expanded analytical and research and development (R&D) capabilities will enhance and accelerate packaging coatings product development across a broad range of end markets. Importantly, the facility will focus on strengthening the company’s global leadership position in non- bisphenol coatings for consumer packaging. Financial details of the investment were not disclosed.

PPG’s Packaging Coatings Innovation Centre, Europe is a centralided location for product development and customer support in the company’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa region. This expansion ensures that the lab remains at the forefront of research and development capabilities. It features a new research laboratory housing four global development centers – caps and closures, personal care, powder and food development. Added predictive testing and analysis equipment further expedites product development capability.

“Bodelshausen now boasts a critical mass of development capabilities that will increase our new product speed to market at a time when our customers need us more than ever,” said Charles Turner, PPG technical director and global director, regulatory affairs, packaging coatings, Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Having our resources focused at a single site means we can maximize the synergies between our development teams and increase our flexibility and efficiency.”

Acquired by PPG in 1999, the Bodelshausen site is also a key production location for the company’s packaging coatings business in Europe. A recently completed manufacturing investment project at the site added equipment that reduces energy consumption while doubling production capacity for white lacquers used on the external surface of personal care, food and caps, and closures packaging.

“The investments at Bodelshausen demonstrate our long-term commitment to delivering novel and forward-thinking technologies to exceed our customers’ expectations,” said Alessandro Borzino, PPG general manager, packaging coatings, Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Through our commitment to innovation and dedication to quality and high-performance solutions, we provide increased value for brand owners and operational advantages to manufacturers.”

PPG also recently announced plans to expand its packaging coatings capacity at Tiel, the Netherlands, at Cieszyn, Poland and at Delaware, Ohio. “These investments reflect the remarkable and growing global consumer demand for infinitely recyclable aluminum and steel cans and the innovative PPG packaging coatings that make them viable,” Borzino said.