Empresas y finanzas

PPG Completes Acquisition of SigmaKalon Group



    PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG) today announced that it had completed
    the acquisition of SigmaKalon Group, a worldwide coatings producer
    based in Uithoorn, Netherlands, from global private investment firm
    Bain Capital. The total transaction value, including assumed debt, was
    approximately EUR 2.2 billion (US$3.2 billion). The company expects to
    add approximately $3 billion in sales annually as a result of the
    acquisition.

    "This acquisition is strongly aligned with our vision and core
    strategies," said Charles E. Bunch, chairman and chief executive
    officer of PPG. "With SigmaKalon, we are accelerating our
    transformation to focus on coatings and specialty products."

    Bunch noted that almost three-quarters of the company´s sales from
    continuing operations will now come from coatings, and over 80 percent
    will come from its coatings, optical and specialty products
    businesses.

    "SigmaKalon is a very complementary fit for us," Bunch said. "The
    acquisition will greatly expand our geographic footprint, extend our
    market presence in various end-use markets, and sharply increase the
    proportion of sales coming from architectural or decorative coatings."

    SigmaKalon produces architectural, protective, marine and
    industrial coatings. The company operates 22 major manufacturing
    facilities across Europe and other key markets across the world. It
    sells architectural coatings directly to professional painters via a
    network of service centers, approximately 500 company-owned stores and
    approximately 3,000 independent wholesalers that give it direct access
    to customers.

    Bunch added that the SigmaKalon acquisition gives PPG a strong
    platform for profitable growth from which it can continue to generate
    earnings and increase shareholder value.

    "The acquisition will allow us to capitalize on raw materials
    procurement and new, additional technologies," he said. "And although
    the acquisition will be dilutive to PPG´s earnings in 2008, our goal
    remains for the acquisition to be accretive to ongoing earnings per
    share, including all required accounting adjustments, no later than 12
    months from now."

    Michael McGarry, vice president, coatings, and managing director,
    PPG Europe, said, "PPG has a strong history of effective integration
    of acquisitions. An efficient integration process will be critical to
    our reaching the aggressive goals we´ve set for the business." McGarry
    added, "As we move through the integration process, we remain
    committed to ensuring that customers continue to receive excellent
    performance in quality products and services."

    About PPG

    Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings,
    chemicals, optical products, specialty materials, glass and fiber
    glass. The company employs more than 34,000 people and has 125
    manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates in more than 25
    countries. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange
    (symbol: PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Statements in this news release relating to matters that are not
    historical facts are forward-looking statements reflecting the
    company´s current view with respect to future events or objectives and
    financial or operational performance or results. This includes
    financial projections with respect to SigmaKalon´s future operating
    performance and the impact of such performance on PPG´s earnings,
    which projections have been made based on PPG´s review of limited
    financial data and other information provided to PPG in its due
    diligence review of SigmaKalon. The projections disclosed herein are
    estimates only; actual results may differ depending on assumptions
    made and future events that involve risks and uncertainties that may
    affect SigmaKalon´s and PPG´s operations. Such factors include PPG´s
    ability to successfully integrate SigmaKalon into its business model
    to achieve estimated synergies. Additional factors involve risks and
    uncertainties as discussed in PPG Industries´ periodic reports on Form
    10-K and Form 10-Q, and its current reports on Form 8-K, filed with
    the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, many factors
    could cause actual results to differ materially from the company´s
    forward-looking statements.

    Among these factors are increasing price and product competition
    by foreign and domestic competitors, fluctuations in cost and
    availability of raw materials and energy, the ability to maintain
    favorable supplier relationships and arrangements, economic and
    political conditions in international markets, foreign exchange rates
    and fluctuations in such rates, the impact of environmental
    regulations, unexpected business disruptions and the unpredictability
    of possible future litigation, including litigation that could result
    if the asbestos settlement discussed in PPG´s filings with the SEC
    does not become effective. However, it is not possible to predict or
    identify all such factors. Consequently, while the list of factors
    presented here is considered representative, no such list should be
    considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and
    uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional
    obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements.

    Consequences of material differences in results as compared with
    those anticipated in the forward-looking statements could include,
    among other things, business disruption, operational problems,
    financial loss, legal liability to third parties and similar risks,
    any of which could have a material adverse effect on PPG´s
    consolidated financial condition, operations or liquidity.