PPG regional headquarters opens in Cranberry, adds 150 jobs

Pennsylvania was not PPG Industries' first choice for a new regional headquarters when the site selection process began last year, said Chuck Bunch, PPG chairman and CEO.

But the company was drawn to the Cranberry area, he said.

PPG Industries opened its architectural coatings business headquarters Thursday morning in the Cranberry Woods business park.

“The official opening of this facility further strengthens our presence in the state and in the Pittsburgh area, which has been home to our global headquarters for more than 130 years,” Bunch said.

Nearly 400 employees, including 150 new hires, are working at the 118,000-square-foot facility, which is subleased from Westinghouse, said PPG spokesman Mark Silvey.

The company selected Cranberry in part because of its central location between PPG's existing facilities in Ohio and Pennsylvania and its recently acquired Akzo Nobel North American decorative coatings business locations in Ohio, Silvey said.

PPG is consolidating jobs from its operations in Louisville, Ky., Dover, Del., Strongsville, Ohio, and other Pennsylvania locations to the regional headquarters, Silvey said.

“Thank you for keeping your presence here and growing your presence here,” Gov. Tom Corbett said during opening ceremonies attended by about 200 people, including Butler County Commission Chairman Bill McCarrier and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

The facility will be near full capacity with 550 workers by the end of 2015, Silvey said. Employees in management, marketing, customer support, information technology, human resources and finance positions will work there.

The state Department of Community and Economic Development provided a $1.25 million grant, $618,000 in job creation tax credits and a $139,050 grant for training.

The Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority loaned the company $2 million that must be repaid within 15 years.

PPG's coatings business makes household and commercial paints, stains and specialty coatings like Glidden, Pittsburgh Paints, Liquid Nails, Manor Hall and Olympic.

Rachel Farkas is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-779-6902 or rfarkas@tribweb.com.