The company's high-tech low-VOC coatings are used at Shanghai Pudong Airport.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gases emitted from certain decorating materials.

VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short and long-term adverse effects on human health. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to 10 times higher) than outdoors.

Low-VOC coatings helped the firm win its huge project from one of the most important airports in China.

Another breakthrough made by PPG recently is its high performance, low-emissions glass called Solarban 60.

The glass can reduce heat gain by about 49 per cent in argon-filled insulating units.

PPG invests more than US$100 million in research and development (R&D) every year.

"All our goals rely on expertise," said Combs. "Most of our R&D achievements in use in China are from our labs in the United States and Europe."

He promised the R&D capacity will be enhanced in China to meet rising demand.

At present, PPG's architectural coating sales value in China already accounts for 20 per cent of its global architectural sales, although it came to China very late compared with its rivals.

The total sales value of all its businesses, of which coating is an important part, was US$350 million in China last year, accounting for nearly 4 per cent of its global sales value.

Combs said the nation's drive to build an energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly society means huge market potential.

"We will strive to lift our sales in China to 7 to 8 per cent of our global total in the near future," he said. "Currently, the coating market in China doesn't have a single dominant player, so PPG will consolidate its presence gradually in the nation."

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