PASADENA, Calif. - Ameron International Corp. has agreed to sell its worldwide Performance Coatings & Finishes business ("Coatings") to PPG Industries. The transaction is subject to the terms of the agreement and following regulatory review in Europe.

"We are pleased with the anticipated sale of Coatings," stated James Marlen, Ameron's chairman, president and CEO. "The exit from Coatings will allow us to redeploy resources to Ameron's three remaining consolidated businesses, where we have leadership positions.

"Coatings no longer fits our strategic objectives. In recent years, the financial performance of Ameron's coatings business did not meet expectations, partly due to difficult conditions in global markets. Also, consolidations within the coatings industry provided larger companies with greater economies of scale and constrained Ameron's ability to grow." Coatings had sales of $210 million in 2005.

Ameron will sell the worldwide coatings business, while retaining certain real properties currently used by Coatings. Ameron will receive $115 million, plus working capital adjustments, for the business acquired by PPG. Additionally, Ameron plans to sell the retained real properties in the next 12 to 18 months and expects to generate additional proceeds of $15 million, based on current estimates of market value.