The Challenge
PPG’s plant in Delaware, Ohio, has been running since 1965, producing resins, coatings, and packaging for the automotive market and other industrial customers. When PPG needed a new plant to keep up with growing demand in its paint division, Delaware wasn’t the automatic choice. The company considered other options when deciding where to add (or build) 100,000 square feet of automotive OEM coatings production.
The Solution
Ohio’s advantages won the day. PPG announced more than $280 million to expand its existing site with a new facility dedicated to a product line the plant hadn’t manufactured before — added on top of the aftermarket, collision, packaging, and industrial resins already made there. The project is expected to create 100 new full-time jobs at a site that currently employs about 450 people.
Construction broke ground roughly five months after the announcement, pending local incentive approvals, with operations projected to launch in 2028.
Key Factors in Choosing Ohio Included:
Six decades of continuous operation at one site, including multiple past expansions
An existing workforce of 450 already trained on PPG’s processes
Ohio’s strong position inside the broader automotive supply chain, connecting new OEM coatings production to nearby vehicle and parts manufacturers
Local and state incentive timelines fast enough to keep construction on a same-year schedule
A 60-year relationship with Delaware City and County officials and the local community
The Results
Jobs Created: 100
Total Investment: $280 million
Total Payroll: Nearly $8 million
Economic Impact: The new employees and additional payroll bolster PPG’s established base in Delaware, increasing the company’s contribution to a local economy that has benefited from its operations since 1965.
Strategic Advantage: PPG isn’t just increasing capacity: The company is adding a brand-new product line. That diversification matters, and enhances the Delaware site’s standing for the next time expanded operations may be needed. The multi-year runway — construction starting in 2026 and production beginning in 2028 — indicates that PPG is confident in Ohio’s automotive supply chain and that the overall business environment will be strong when the plant finally opens.
As the automotive OEM industry continues to evolve, PPG’s expanded capabilities in Delaware, Ohio, will help us deliver the next generation of high-quality, sustainably advantaged coatings technologies. This investment, which is included within PPG’s previously communicated capital spending targets, strengthens our ability to serve customers with improved efficiency, quality, and responsiveness.
— Alisha Bellezza, Senior Vice President, Automotive and Packaging Coatings, PPG
