MOSCOW (MRC) -- Roald Johannsen, PPG vice president of automotive coatings for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, has been elected chairman of the board of the European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists’ Colours Industry (CEPE), the US-based coatings major said.
He succeeds Andre Vieira de Castro, CEO of Portugal-based Argacol – Tintas e Vernizes, who has been CEPE chairman since October 2020.
The biggest challenge for the European coatings industry is to ensure that the sector stays ahead of the fast-changing regulatory environment and that it remains competitive, Johannsen said.
Based at PPG’s European headquarters in Rolle, Switzerland, Johannsen has more than 30 years of experience in the paints and coatings industry across several geographies and sectors. He joined the CEPE board in September 2018 and has served as vice chairman for the past year.
“I am honored and privileged to assume the role of CEPE Chairman. I have a real passion for this industry and I want to ensure the best possible representation, so that paints, coatings, printing inks and artists’ colors are seen as part of the solution to enhance and enable sustainability," Johannsen said.
He adds, “I am looking forward to working with the CEPE board and team and all our stakeholders to raise the image and relevance of the coatings sector and increase awareness of the important role it plays in supporting the carbon neutral ambitions of the European Union’s Green Deal, Circular Economy Action Plan and Chemical Strategy for Sustainability. Our biggest challenge going forward is to ensure that our sector stays ahead of the fast-changing regulatory environment and we remain competitive."
As MRC reported earlier, in June 2021, PPG announced an expansion of its coatings manufacturing capacity in Europe for packaging applications. The investments at sites in The Netherlands and Poland will support growing customer demand in the region for the latest generation of coatings for aluminum and steel cans used in packaging for beverage, food and personal care items. The projects include a further expansion of the company’s location in Tiel, The Netherlands, which will increase the plant’s production capacity for PPG INNOVEL non-BPA internal coatings for beverage cans by 30%. Expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022, the project follows a 50% expansion completed at the end of 2020.
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PPG Industries Inc. is an international American company manufacturing paints and varnishes, chemicals, optical components, specialty materials, glass and fiberglass. The company includes over 150 production units and representative offices in more than 60 countries around the world. PPG is one of the 500 largest US corporations by sales.
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