PASADENA, CA -- Ameron International Corp. and PPG Industries Inc. announced an agreement under which Ameron has been appointed a worldwide distributor of PPG's PITT-CHAR XP fire-protective coatings. The products are used extensively in the petrochemical industry, primarily for fireproofing of offshore oil rigs where the weight of installed fireproofing is a major concern, the companies said.

Richard A. Beuke, vice president of PPG's architectural-coatings business, said the Ameron agreement will give PPG access to a "largely untapped" global market for PITT-CHAR coatings.

The coatings are based on patented flexible, crosslinked epoxy resins and are said to relieve stresses associated with thermal cycling and structural vibration and movement during high-impact applications. Other product attributes include long-term corrosion protection, PPG said.