PPG and C3 Launch Digital Lesson on Sustainable Paint Manufacturing

PPG announced the launch of “Green Paint Factory,” a digital lesson developed in collaboration with Centrum JongerenCommunicatie Chemie (C3), a Dutch nonprofit that introduces students to chemistry and life sciences. The lesson allows students to design a paint factory, making decisions that affect both sustainability and cost.

The lesson covers six subject areas—energy, packaging, binders, pigments, transport, and waste—helping students understand the real-world trade-offs in sustainable manufacturing. Designed for third-grade chemistry students aged 14-15, it aligns with the Dutch chemistry curriculum and can be used in classrooms.

“This lesson is a perfect tool to introduce students to the complexities of sustainability. But above all, it shows that there are always choices to be made and you can influence the outcome,” said Maurice de Wit, PPG director manufacturing and logistics Netherlands, architectural coatings. “Together with C3, we want to build the next generation of innovative leaders in science and technology.”

C3 Director Jeroen Sijbers added, “Students have to choose a study path at an early age when their perceptions are often still far removed from a study subject, let alone a profession. That is why this lesson is so valuable—it makes chemistry tangible and shows how they can contribute to social and technological innovation within this field.”

PPG’s community engagement initiatives focus on STEM education and workforce development. In 2024, the company invested $18.4 million in education programs across more than 30 countries.

For more information, visit PPG’s website.