Somerset selects PPG as coatings supplier
for expanded Crossville plant
Somerset Hardwood Floors, Somerset,
Ky., has named PPG the exclusive coatings
supplier for its new engineered flooring
manufacturing facility in Crossville, Tenn.
Paul Stringer, vice president, sales and
marketing for Somerset, said PPG coatings
were chosen for the new production line because of PPG;s previous history with his
firm, as well as PPG;s commitment to sustainability. “We have done business with
PPG from the beginning and they have been
a big part of our success,” Stringer said.
“Somerset and PPG have a common inter-
est and they have been a very important
strategic partner for us during our
product development, our growth
and the continued success that we
enjoy today.”
Somerset;s new Crossville facil-
ity, which will produce engineered
flooring, already has additional ex-
pansion plans, which include the
addition of a prefinished line and
building expansion. The plant is
part of Somerset;s commitment to
products made in the United States.
Somerset;s newest plant will produce both prefinished and unfinished engineered flooring with a
look similar to the existing solid
prefinished and unfinished products made in its solid flooring manufacturing facilities. PPG is drafting
specifications for the new production line,
reviewing drawings and providing other
consulting services.
The two companies maintain a marketing arrangement by which Somerset
co-brands all of its prefinished solid and
engineered hardwood flooring with Sustainability by PPG Wood Coatings, a
logo and tagline that emphasizes the
companies’ shared commitment to quality products, sustainability and the health
of the environment.
dustry sales and product development personnel. The expansion is in response to
customer interest in Ecology’s products
and growth in the UV-curable coatings
marketplace, the company says.
Newly purchased test and measurement equipment will accelerate product
development and testing of the company’s
high performance UV-curable coatings for
its target markets, which include labeling
and packaging. For example, the ability to
rapidly evaluate new coatings on paper or
polymer film label stock materials in simulated press conditions is critical to the
success of sales activities targeting
the prime label and packaging
markets. Customers require data
simulating their production conditions for the curing speed, coating
viscosity, coat weight and the resistance of the coating to water,
solvents and abrasion, for their
applications. With timely information, time to market will be greatly
enhanced.
Companies such as P&G, Wal-Mart and Kaiser Permanente are
asking their supply chain questions about energy use and hazardous waste created per unit of
output. Supply chains must reevaluate their existing materials and
manufacturing methods to meet
rigorous environmental standards being
established by their customers. These evaluations have a trickle-down effect on the
supply chain, including companies providing coatings, which are used on almost
every product produced, packaged or containing a label.
“Sustainability and green are becoming much more than just words, and
companies that meet these challenges
will be the winners in future sourcing decisions,” said Ecology Coatings CEO
Bob Crockett. “This creates a significant
opportunity for Ecology Coatings. As a
provider of UV-curable coatings that use
up to 80 percent less energy, have little
From left, Steve Merrick, owner of Somerset Hardwood Floors,
Brian Knapp, PPG building products segment manager, and Paul
Stringer, vice president of sales and marketing for Somerset
Hardwood Floors, stand in front of Somerset’s hardwood flooring display. PPG will be the exclusive coatings supplier to Somerset’s new engineered flooring facility in Crossville, Tenn.
of Quest Specialty Chemicals, has acquired the coatings business of Integrated
Paving Concepts (IPC) of Vancouver,
Canada. Since its founding in 1992, Integrated Paving Concepts has specialized in
decorative stamped asphalt and asphalt
coating technology, facilitating streetscape
and hardscape designs.
“The acquisition of IPC’s coatings
technology adds to our product and market offerings in our objective to provide
the building owner multiple solutions
with his building envelope. Our line includes solutions from waterproofing roofs
to creating aesthetic surfaces for parking
lots, walkways or residential driveways”
said Charlie Van Gelder, vice president,
Quest Construction Products.
Quest Construction Products
acquires IPC’s coatings business
Quest Construction Products, a division
Ecology Coatings upgrades lab
facilities
Ecology Coatings, Inc. has added and up-
graded testing and application develop-
ment equipment in its Akron, Ohio-based
laboratory, and has hired additional in-
10 | Coatings World
www.coatingsworld.com
August 2011
