PITTSBURGH - PPG Industries Inc.'s Coil and Extrusion Coatings Group launched an automated "dispense cell" at Mojave, CA, for the manufacture and delivery of the company's Duranar brand of coil and extrusion coatings on the West Coast.

The company said the computer-based dispense cell makes paint in 5-gallon to 1,000-gallon batches in one week, considerably faster than with conventional methods. Coatings components such as resins, pigments, solvents and additives are automatically drawn from storage vats in the correct proportions for specific customer specifications, and customer orders are mixed directly in their shipping containers.

"The cell's speed and precision enables us to provide superior product quickly and efficiently, in a larger color palette and in smaller batch sizes, to meet customer needs," said Keith Prins, general manager, Industrial Finishes. "As a result, it will provide a competitive edge for our customers."