The Story
PPG Industries was founded in 1883 as Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, originally manufacturing glass for the booming construction industry of industrial-era Pittsburgh. Over 140 years, the company evolved from glass manufacturer to the world's leading paints, coatings, and specialty materials company, serving the automotive, aerospace, construction, and industrial markets.
Today PPG operates in more than 70 countries and employs over 50,000 people worldwide. The company's products are everywhere: the paint on cars, the coatings on aircraft, the finishes on buildings, and the specialty chemicals used in electronics manufacturing.
PPG's global headquarters at One PPG Place in Downtown Pittsburgh, designed by Philip Johnson, is one of the most striking buildings in the city: a neo-Gothic glass castle that reflects the company's origins in glassmaking.
What Makes It Pittsburgh
PPG is a living connection to Pittsburgh's industrial origins. Founded in the era of Carnegie and Frick, the company has survived and thrived through every economic transformation the city has experienced. Its continued presence in Downtown Pittsburgh keeps a Fortune 500 headquarters in the city and employs thousands of professionals in the region.
The PPG Place complex, with its ice rink in winter and public plaza year-round, is one of Downtown Pittsburgh's most beloved public spaces.