11 June 1998: Tokyo-based PPG Industries Asia Pacific Ltd. are relocating their corporate functions to Hong Kong and the Tokyo office is to be registered by the end of this year as PPG Japan with Tosh…
11 June 1998: Tokyo-based PPG Industries Asia Pacific Ltd. are relocating their corporate functions to Hong Kong and the Tokyo office is to be registered by the end of this year as PPG Japan with Toshiro Suzuki as President. The move is expected to be completed by August. PPG Industries Asia Pacific was originally established as a co-ordinating office for the whole region, including Taiwan, the ASEAN region, India, China, South Korea and Australia but with an increase in growth in coatings, chemicals and glass in the Asia Pacific region the company feels that it will be better positioned in Hong Kong. Consolidated sales figures for PPG Industries Asia Pacific reached US$ 667 million in 1997. PPG Japan will reportedly take over the coatings, glass and fine chemical businesses previously run by PPG Industries Asia Pacific. In Japan, major growth areas are the glass joint venture with Itochu Corp. and the automotive coating business. The company will also try to expand the specialty chemical field such as intermediates for pharmaceuticals, silica and optics, reports say.