PPG donates digital refinish tools to 15 vocational schools across Europe

December 17, 2024 at 09:00 AM EST

PPG LINQ system supports automotive refinish education for over 1,500 students

PPG (NYSE: PPG) today announced that it has donated the PPG LINQ™ digital automotive refinish ecosystem to 15 vocational schools in over 10 countries during the last 15 months. This effort is part of the company’s $2 million commitment through 2025 to invest in workforce development initiatives aimed at addressing the skills shortage and attracting young talent to trade careers, including the automotive refinish industry.

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Students from Integrovaná střední škola automobilní in Brno, Czechia, one of 15 vocational schools in Europe to receive a donation of the PPG LINQ™ automotive refinish digital ecosystem as part of the company’s commitment to workforce development initiatives. (Photo: Business Wire)

“We understand the transformative power of innovation and digitalization in education,” said Jérôme Zamblera, PPG vice president, EMEA, Automotive Refinish. “The PPG LINQ ecosystem represents our vision for modernizing the car refinishing industry and inspiring young talent to build careers in this dynamic field. Our investments in schools, including further initiatives planned for next year, reflect our commitment to preparing the next generation for the exciting opportunities in the automotive sector.”

The donations enable more than 1,500 students to gain hands-on experience with digital tools, preparing them for modern automotive refinishing careers and tackling the industry's growing skilled labor gap. They will help to address challenges outlined in the European Commission’s report on vocational education and training (VET)¹, such as limited access to modern equipment, funding constraints and gaps in work-based learning.

The PPG LINQ ecosystem connects, automates, and digitizes the entire refinish process. It enables painters to modernize the repair processes using its interconnected digital hardware, software, and innovative services. Tools include the PPG MOONWALK® paint mixing system; PPG DIGIMATCH™ multi-angle color camera; PPG VISUALIZID™ 3D rendering software and PPG LINQ Color digital color identification software.

“We are proud to partner with PPG to bring advanced technology and expertise to our educational program,” said Daniel Krarup Jørgensen, automotive education manager at College360, a vocational school in Silkeborg, Denmark. “This partnership will give our students a unique opportunity to work with some of the most innovative tools on the market. We hope this will motivate more young people to choose a career in automotive refinishing and thereby mitigate the shortage of qualified professionals in the industry.”

To learn more about the PPG LINQ system, visit https://ppglinq.com/.

PPG’s global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested more than $17.5 million in 2023, supporting hundreds of organizations across nearly 40 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow tomorrow’s STEM innovators and skilled workforce in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at communities.ppg.com.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD®

At PPG (NYSE: PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for more than 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $18.2 billion in 2023. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

PPG LINQ, DigiMatch, MagicBox and VisualizID are trademarks and MoonWalk, the PPG Logo and We protect and beautify the world are registered trademarks and of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

¹ "The future of vocational education and training in Europe": https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/publications/5590

CATEGORY Automotive Refinish

CATEGORY Community Affairs