PPG has opened a Color Creation Lab in collaboration with automaker Chery Automobile. At the facility, located in Wuhu, China, PPG colour stylists and Chery designers will create new colours tailored to specific vehicle designs, from initial colour recommendations to final materials, for application in Chery’s manufacturing plants.
“As the leading single-source coatings supplier for automotive manufacturing, PPG is excited to partner with Chery, a company that prioritises technological innovation and sustainable production,” said Thomas Li, Vice President Asia Pacific, Automotive Coatings at PPG. “We will leverage our global colour leadership to predict future trends, while advancing paint technology for the next generation of Chery vehicles.”
The Color Creation Lab will feature “innovative solutions” for colour digitisation, analysis, and evaluation on interior and exterior automotive parts. The process will include extensive sampling and formulation testing to ensure uniform appearance, proper adhesion, and extended durability when a new colour moves to mass production and application in automotive plants.
“The Color Creation Lab is the culmination of 20 years of collaboration between PPG and Chery,” said Federico Menta, Global Director Decorative Coatings, Automotive Coatings at PPG. “Working together, we will combine our areas of expertise to bolster automotive colour planning and management, and design efficient processes to give car buyers the ideal purchasing experience with the colour choices they want.”
PPG has supplied Chery with coatings for its paint lines since 2003. In 2008, PPG opened an automotive coatings plant in Wuhu to support Chery and other manufacturers in China. When Chery opened its Qingdao plant in 2022, it featured PPG’s B1:B2 Compact Paint System, which streamlines the painting process by removing the need for a separate primer layer. PPG says the system requires less energy to apply, allowing the Qingdao plant to increase efficiency. Earlier this year, Chery introduced the B1:B2 system to its Wuhu plant.