US-based PPG Ind. announced that it plans to install equipment to enhance operations at its Perry, Georgia, US, specialty flat glass manufacturing plant during a melting tank rebuild scheduled for lat…
US-based PPG Ind. announced that it plans to install equipment to enhance operations at its Perry, Georgia, US, specialty flat glass manufacturing plant during a melting tank rebuild scheduled for late 1996 or early 1997. The company said it plans to suspend glass production for about two months to perform the work, which will cost about US$ 15 million. The plant employs advanced proprietary PPG glassmaking technology that allows more flexibility than a traditional float glass plant to produce smaller quantities of a broad range of products with special compositions. According to Barry J. McGee, PPG director of production, flat glass products, new inspection and packing equipment will be installed and glass processing improvements made. “We will improve process consistency and product yields with enhancements to the annealing lehr, which will allow more control of glass cooling,” McGee said. “This will especially enhance production of coated glasses and glasses in thicknesses from 10 to 19 mm.” McGee said that increasingly stringent customer specifications are requiring better quality controls. “Sensitive laser inspection equipment will enhance detection of minute quality defects in glass that the human eye cannot see at production line speeds,” McGee added. “With automatic packing, we will be able to reduce potential for injuries presented by manual packing, as well as surface damage to the glass.” New ceramic refractory materials to be installed at the Perry plant are expected to last a minimum of six years, he said. According to Richard Leggett, PPG general manager of flat glass products, the improvements at the plant will enhance the company“s ability to meet growing demand for its specialty glass products. “The Perry plant was designed to produce short runs of specialty glass products with quick changeovers,” Leggett said. “With the experience we continue to gain and these new enhancements, our customers can expect to see greater product availability, especially of our popular Starphire ultra clear glass, shorter production lead times and a continued array of new products.” PPG also announced that it has elected Raymond W. LeBoeuf president and chief operating officer and a director of the corporation. He had been executive vice president since early 1994. The PPG board also elected Frank A. Archinaco senior vice president, Glass, and E. Kears Pollock senior vice president, Coatings and Resins. They had been vice presidents of those businesses. PPG has not had a president since 1988, when the office was combined with that of the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO). As president, LeBoeuf, 48, will be responsible for all operating units of the company plus the purchasing and distribution, science and technology and information technology departments.