Throughout 2018, PPG is celebrating 135 years of protecting and beautifying the world.
“PPG today is one of the world's most admired companies. Thanks to the dedication of our employees, our commitment to excellence, and our focus on providing customers with superior products and services, I believe our best days are still ahead," said Michael McGarry, PPG chairman and chief executive officer. “As we look ahead, let's continue to work together to build on the heritage and legacy of this great company. By doing so, we can make the world an even brighter, more colorful place for future generations to come."
PPG's successful and storied history began in 1883, when John Pitcairn and Captain John B. Ford formed the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company with the hopes of producing America's first marketable plate glass. Their efforts were prosperous – by 1968, PPG had reached its $1 billion mark in sales. Just eight years later in 1976, that number eclipsed $2 billion. That began the growth and transformational journey of PPG. Over the years, PPG continued to strengthen its presence in the U.S and expand its footprint globally. This included making many acquisitions to expand its coatings businesses to serve a growing customer base throughout the world. Through its multi-decade, generational journey, PPG continued to evolve with the times to ensure the company would be well positioned for the next 135 years.
Today, PPG is one of the world's largest global paints, coatings and specialty materials suppliers. PPG now operates in more than 70 countries with approximately 46,000 employees and, as of 2017, net sales of $14.8 billion.