Item 1. Business

PPG Industries, Inc. manufactures and distributes a broad range of paints, coatings and specialty materials. PPG was incorporated in Pennsylvania in 1883. PPG’s vision is to be the first-choice partner to meet our customers’ evolving needs for innovative paints, coatings and surface solutions to protect and beautify the world.

PPG has a proud heritage with a demonstrated commitment to innovation, sustainability, community engagement and development of leading-edge paint, coatings and specialty materials technologies. Through dedication and industry-leading expertise, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. PPG is a global leader with manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates in more than 70 countries.

PPG supplies paints, coatings and specialty materials to customers serving a wide array of end-uses, including industrial equipment and components; packaging material; aircraft and marine equipment; automotive original equipment; automotive refinish and aftermarket; pavement marking products; as well as coatings for other industrial and consumer products. PPG also serves commercial and residential new build and maintenance customers by supplying coatings to painting and maintenance contractors and directly to consumers for decoration and maintenance.

The coatings industry is highly competitive and consists of several large firms with global presence and many firms supplying local or regional markets. PPG competes in its primary markets with the world’s largest coatings companies, most of which have global operations, and with many regional coatings companies.

PPG’s business is comprised of two reportable business segments: Performance Coatings and Industrial Coatings as described below:

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PERFORMANCE COATINGS

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INDUSTRIAL COATINGS

(a) Original equipment manufacturer (OEM)

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Research and Development

Technology innovation has been a hallmark of PPG’s success throughout its history. The Company seeks to optimize its investment in research and development to create new products to drive profitable growth. We align our product development with the macro trends in the markets we serve, including a focus on sustainability and productivity, and leverage core technology platforms to develop products to address unmet market needs. Additionally, we operate laboratories in close geographic proximity to our customers, and we customize our products for our customers' end-use applications. Our history of successful technology introductions is based on a commitment to an efficient and effective innovation process and disciplined portfolio management. We have obtained government funding for a small portion of the Company’s research efforts, and we will continue to pursue government funding, where appropriate.

We own and operate several facilities to conduct research and development for new and improved products and processes. In addition to the Company’s centralized principal research and development centers (see Item 2. “Properties” of this Form 10-K), operating segments manage their development through centers of excellence. As part of our ongoing efforts to manage our formulations and raw material costs effectively, we operate global competitive sourcing laboratories. Because of our broad array of products and customers, we are not materially dependent upon any single technology platform.

Raw Materials, Energy and Logistics

PPG uses a wide variety of complex raw materials that serve as the building blocks of our manufactured products. The Company’s most significant raw materials include resins, reactants, solvents, titanium dioxide, epoxy and emulsions. Raw materials include both organic, primarily petroleum-derived, materials and inorganic materials, including titanium dioxide. Raw materials represent PPG’s single largest production cost component.

Most of the raw materials and energy used in production are purchased from outside sources, and the Company has made, and continues to make, supply arrangements to meet our planned operating requirements for the future. Supply of critical raw materials and energy is managed by establishing contracts with multiple sources and identifying alternative materials or technology whenever possible. In support of our decarbonization efforts, we are increasing the amount of renewable energy secured for our operating facilities and increasingly evaluating alternative raw materials that offer sustainable benefits and support the circular economy, including recycled and renewable feedstocks. Prices for certain of our raw materials typically fluctuate with energy prices and global supply and demand changes; however, pricing may be impacted by the fact that the manufacture of our raw materials is several steps downstream from crude oil, natural gas, and other key feedstocks.

Through effective management of raw materials, energy and logistics, the Company aims to maintain a competitive cost position and ensure ongoing security of supply. Security of a sufficient supply of high-quality raw materials is important to PPG’s continued success as it allows the Company to increase production as necessary to keep pace with customer demand. While PPG faced certain raw material shortages and logistical challenges during 2022, raw material and logistics availability continued to improve throughout 2023 and is now comparable to pre-pandemic conditions. We continue to focus on improving our competitive cost position and expanding our supply of high-quality raw materials, including strategic initiatives to qualify multiple sources of supply.

We typically experience fluctuating prices for energy and raw materials driven by various factors, including changes in supplier feedstock costs and inventories, global industry activity levels, foreign currency exchange rates, government regulation, and global supply and demand factors. In 2023 raw material costs remained high compared to historic levels, but moderated compared to 2022 levels, resulting in a decrease to our operating costs of more than $500 million. Given the uncertainty associated with the various factors that drive raw material prices, we are not able to predict the 2024 full-year impact of changes in raw material costs versus 2023; however, we do not currently expect to incur significant raw material inflation during 2024. While raw material costs declined during 2023, the Company continues to incur wage inflation, and anticipates further wage inflation impacts in 2024.

We are subject to existing and evolving standards relating to the regulation and registration of chemicals which could potentially impact the availability and viability of some of the raw materials we use in our production processes. Our ongoing, global product stewardship efforts are directed at maintaining our compliance with these standards. We anticipate that the number of chemical registration regulations will continue to increase globally, and we have implemented programs to track and comply with these regulations.

Our commitment to sustainability extends to our suppliers as an extension of our internal focus on sustainability. The PPG Global Supplier Code of Conduct clarifies our global expectations in the areas of business integrity, labor practices,

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associate health and safety, and environmental management. Our Supplier Sustainability Policy builds upon our Global Supplier Code of Conduct by establishing expectations for sustainability within our supply chain. This policy reinforces our expectations that our suppliers, as well as their subcontractors, will comply fully with applicable laws and adhere to internationally recognized environmental, social and corporate-governance standards.

Global Operations

PPG has significant non-U.S. operations. This broad geographic footprint serves to lessen the significance to us of economic impacts occurring in any one region of the world. As a result of our global footprint, we are subject to certain inherent risks, including economic and political conditions in international markets, trade protection measures and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. During 2023, favorable foreign currency translation increased Net sales by approximately $102 million and Income before income taxes by approximately $25 million.

Refer to Note 20, “Revenue Recognition” in Item 8 of this Form 10-K for additional geographic information pertaining to sales and Note 21, “Reportable Business Segment Information” in Item 8 of this Form 10-K for geographic information related to PPG’s property, plant and equipment.

Seasonality

PPG’s Income before income taxes has typically been greater in the second and third quarters and Cash from operating activities has been greatest in the fourth quarter due to end-use market seasonality, primarily in our architectural coatings and traffic solutions businesses. Demand for our architectural coatings and traffic solutions products is typically the strongest in the second and third quarters due to higher home improvement, maintenance and construction activity during the spring and summer months in the U.S., Canada and Europe. The Latin American paint season is the strongest in the fourth quarter. These cyclical activity levels result in the collection of outstanding receivables and lower inventory on hand in the fourth quarter generating higher Cash from operating activities.

Human Capital

The average number of people employed by PPG during 2023 was approximately 53,000, of which approximately 16,300 were in the United States and approximately 36,700 were elsewhere in the world. The Company has numerous collective bargaining agreements throughout the world. We observe local customs, laws and practices in labor relations when negotiating collective bargaining agreements. There were no significant work stoppages in 2023. While we have experienced occasional work stoppages and may experience some work stoppages in the future, we believe that we will be able to negotiate all labor agreements on satisfactory terms. To date, these work stoppages have not had a significant impact on our results of operations. Overall, we believe we have good relationships with our employees.

The PPG Way is a set of behaviors that enables, empowers and engages each employee to fully live our values and realize our full potential as an organization. It guides our employees and leaders as we strive to achieve our purpose of protecting and beautifying the world. Employee engagement is a measure of the extent to which our employees are involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to our work and workplace. We conduct employee surveys to increase dialogue among teams and implement meaningful action to improve results.

Our human capital management strategies provide the foundation for our teams to thrive and deliver exceptional performance. These strategies in the areas of culture and purpose, employee engagement, development and pay equity are overseen by the Human Capital Management and Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors. We are committed to ensuring our employees are safe, healthy, enabled, engaged and valued for the diverse talents they bring to PPG. We believe that having quality dialogue with our people, recognizing the value they bring and championing an authentic culture generates engaged employees and a company that is more innovative, productive and competitive. Our focus on and investment in learning and development are crucial to ensuring we keep our people engaged, productive and successful at every stage of their careers. We are committed to promoting from within wherever possible while also bringing in new ideas, thoughts and insights.

Our environmental, health and safety policy and standards define our expectations, and we implement programs and initiatives to reduce health and safety risk in our operations. We measure progress against our health and safety goals using the injury and illness rate, which is calculated as the number of illness and injury incidents per 200,000 work hours. For 2023, our injury and illness rate was 0.32.

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One of PPG’s greatest strengths is the diversity of our people, who represent wide-ranging nationalities, cultures, languages, religions, ethnicities, and professional and educational backgrounds. Their unique perspectives enable us to meet challenges quickly, creatively and effectively, providing a significant competitive advantage in today’s global economy. To ensure our people feel valued and respected, we are committed to providing a workplace that embraces a culture of diversity and inclusion and is free from harassment and bullying. In connection with our focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, PPG operates eight Employee Resource Networks (“ERNs”). These ERNs are open to all employees and are intended to provide an opportunity for in-depth discussion, focus and recommendations on how PPG can deliver higher growth and performance by creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization.

More information about PPG’s human capital management strategies and our workforce can be found in the Proxy Statement for our 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and in our ESG Report located at http://sustainability.ppg.com.

Environmental Matters

PPG is committed to operating in a sustainable and productive manner and to helping our customers meet their sustainability goals. Our sustainability efforts are overseen by the Sustainability and Innovation Committee of our Board of Directors. At the management level, day-to-day implementation of our environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) initiatives is led by our Vice President, Global Sustainability, who is responsible for coordinating PPG’s ESG and sustainability programs and for communicating our ESG progress with our customers, shareholders and other stakeholders. The Vice President, Global Sustainability works with PPG’s Sustainability Committee, a committee of management consisting of senior corporate executives, to establish and monitor our sustainability goals, policies, programs and procedures that incorporate sustainability into our business practices, including resource management, climate change impacts, innovation, community engagement, communications, procurement, manufacturing and employee wellness.

Our dedication to innovation is intertwined with sustainability. We are marketing an ever-growing variety of products and services that protect the environment and provide safety and other benefits to our customers. Our products contribute to lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles, airplanes and ships, and they help our customers reduce their energy consumption, conserve water and reduce waste. These products include compact automotive paint processes and low temperature cure capabilities that save energy and reduce water usage at customer manufacturing sites; sustainably-advantaged waterborne coatings formulations; sustainably-advantaged powder coatings; lightweight sealants and coatings for aircraft; coatings that cool surfaces; coatings for recyclable metal packaging; antimicrobial products; coatings that contain reduced materials of concern; architectural coatings that contain lower carbon content raw materials; silica products for tires that improve vehicle fuel economy; and solutions for autonomous and battery-powered vehicles. For the year ended December 31, 2023, 44% of sales were from sustainably-advantaged products and processes that we have defined as addressing multiple sustainability benefits, including lower emissions, lower toxicity, energy efficiency, use of renewable raw materials or extending durability.

PPG is committed to using resources efficiently and driving sustainability throughout our entire value chain, including continued focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water withdrawal and total energy use. During 2023, PPG announced its near-term 2030 sustainability goals, including greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions targets that have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. PPG’s 2030 sustainability goals include a commitment to reduce absolute emissions from its own operations (scope 1 and 2) by 50% by 2030 from a 2019 base year and to reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions from purchased goods and services, processing of sold products, and end-of-life treatment of sold products by 30% within the same timeframe. More information about PPG’s sustainability values, efforts, goals and data and our community and employee engagement programs can be found in our ESG Report located at http://sustainability.ppg.com.

We are subject to existing and evolving standards relating to the protection of the environment. In management’s opinion, the Company operates in an environmentally sound manner and is well positioned, relative to environmental matters, within the industries in which it operates. PPG is negotiating with various government agencies concerning current and former manufacturing sites and offsite waste disposal locations, including certain sites on the National Priority List. While PPG is not generally a major contributor of wastes to these offsite waste disposal locations, each potentially responsible party may face governmental agency assertions of joint and several liability. Generally, however, a final allocation of costs is made based on relative contributions of wastes to the site. There is a wide range of cost estimates for cleanup of these sites, due largely to uncertainties as to the nature and extent of their condition and the methods that may have to be employed for their remediation. The Company has established reserves for onsite and offsite remediation of those sites where it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated.

Our experience to date regarding environmental matters leads us to believe that we will have continuing expenditures for compliance with provisions regulating the protection of the environment and for present and future remediation efforts at waste and plant sites. Management anticipates that such expenditures will occur over an extended period of time.

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In addition to the $227 million currently reserved for environmental remediation efforts, we may be subject to loss contingencies related to environmental matters estimated to be approximately $100 million to $200 million. These reasonably possible unreserved losses relate to environmental matters at a number of sites, none of which are individually significant. The loss contingencies related to these sites include significant unresolved issues such as the nature and extent of contamination at these sites and the methods that may have to be employed to remediate them.

We believe that capital expenditures for environmental control projects will be slightly higher in 2024 compared to 2023. Actual future capital expenditures may differ from expectations due to the inherent uncertainties involved in estimating future environmental remediation compliance costs, including possible technological, regulatory and enforcement developments, the results of environmental studies and other factors.

Management believes that the outcome of these environmental contingencies will not have a material adverse effect on PPG’s financial position or liquidity; however, any such outcome may be material to the results of operations of any particular period in which costs, if any, are recognized. Refer to Note 15, “Commitments and Contingent Liabilities” in Item 8 of this Form 10-K for additional information related to environmental matters and our accrued liability for estimated environmental remediation costs.

Available Information

The Company’s website address is www.ppg.com. The Company posts, and shareholders may access without charge, the Company’s recent filings and any amendments of its annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and its proxy statements as soon as reasonably practicable after such reports are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The Company also posts all financial press releases, including earnings releases, and all other reports filed or furnished to the SEC, including current reports on Form 8-K to its website. Reference to the Company’s, the SEC’s or other websites herein does not incorporate by reference any information contained on those websites, and such information should not be considered part of this Form 10-K.