Dow teams up to contribute carbon savings from anti-corrosion steel coatings to Official Carbon Partnership with IOC

Collaboration with PPG to offer solutions with reduced GHG emissions to the industrial coatings market and help lessen high maintenance costs of steel infrastructure

MIDLAND, Mich. – Announcing the latest contributor under Dow’s Official Carbon Partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Dow (NYSE: DOW) is teaming up with PPG (NYSE: PPG) to reduce the carbon impact of anti-corrosion coatings for steel commercial infrastructure.

The collaboration between Dow and PPG, a global supplier of paints, coatings and specialty materials, aims to deliver reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions though improved coatings for commercial and industrial buildings, infrastructure such as bridges and marine vessels, while helping to lessen costs associated with structural metal corrosion. As an alternative to traditional coating solutions, PPG’s two-coat PSX system, based on Dow polysiloxane technology, requires fewer coats to achieve the same level of protection than a competitive three-coat system. This results in less energy-intensive production and application, and therefore, a potential reduction of GHG emissions.

“From the skyscrapers that shape our skylines, to the bridges that connect our roads in the transportation networks, to marine vessels that transport goods and people, steel is the backbone of modern society,” said Dr. Nicoletta Piccolrovazzi, circular economy market director for Dow and global technology & sustainability director for Dow Olympic & Sports Solutions. “As a leading materials science company, we can offer solutions that help extend the life span of infrastructure and reduce the environmental impact of steel manufacturing and maintenance over the long-term. Together with PPG, supported by the Dow-IOC Official Carbon Partnership, we are providing paint and coating formulators with the ability to offer architects and property developers a next-generation steel coating solution that encourages partners across the value chain to adopt technologies with a lower carbon impact.”  

Compared to alternative systems, PPG PSX technology can deliver better long-term adhesion, toughness, corrosion and chemical resistance under even the most aggressive exposure conditions. Whereas other coating technology often requires three coats, including a primer, an intermediate layer and a topcoat, PSX is a simple two-coat system with a zinc primer and polysiloxane topcoat. Polysiloxane requires fewer re-coats over time compared to traditional topcoat technologies, resulting in lower maintenance costs for the building owner and a lower associated environmental impact. The estimated reduction in carbon impact from this technology has been validated through a life cycle assessment.

“Through this collaboration, we’re combining PPG and Dow expertise to drive measurable change through carbon mitigation projects,” said Christopher Welch, PPG global business development director, protective and marine coatings. “Together, we have the common goal of protecting one of the world’s strongest building materials, while contributing to a more sustainably built environment for the future.”

Within Dow’s Sustainable Future Program, this agreement is one of several projects under the Official Carbon Partnership with the IOC. Initiated in 2017 to balance the operational carbon footprint of the IOC and beyond, the partnership encourages organizations outside the Olympic movement to adopt programs for reducing carbon emissions while catalyzing change across value chains. 

For more information on Dow’s sustainability programs and the Dow-IOC Carbon Partnership, visit www.dow.com/en-us/sports/sustainability. For more information about PPG, visit www.ppg.com.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines one of the broadest technology sets in the industry with asset integration, focused innovation and global scale to achieve profitable growth and become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company. Dow’s portfolio of performance materials, industrial intermediates and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for our customers in high-growth segments, such as packaging, infrastructure and consumer care. Dow operates 113 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 37,000 people. Dow delivered pro forma sales of approximately $50 billion in 2018. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.

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 135 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 $15.4 billion in 2018. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com