PPG Industries, a Pittsburgh-headquartered global leader in paints, coatings and specialty materials, revealed on May 8, 2025, plans to invest $380 million to build a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant for aerospace coatings and sealants in Shelby, North Carolina.
Scheduled to start construction in October 2025 on a 62-acre plot, the 198,000-square-foot facility is anticipated to be fully operational in mid-2027 and generate more than 110 high-paying jobs at an average wage of $66,861, significantly higher than Cleveland County’s average.
For India’s USD 3.5 trillion economy with a ₹70,000 crore coatings market, this step highlights global demand for aerospace coatings, providing MSMEs with the opportunity to catch up with international trends, although regulatory and skill issues may slow scaling a USD 10 billion domestic market by 2030.
The Shelby plant, aided by a $300,000 performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund, will manufacture PPG’s entire line of aerospace coatings and sealants, including pioneering 3D-printed sealants such as ARE™, essential for commercial, general aviation, and military airplanes, according to a 2025 PPG press release.
The strategic position of the plant close to Charlotte’s strong transportation infrastructure will improve supply chain effectiveness, solving a $300 million PPG aerospace segment backlog, which recorded all-time-high Q1 2025 sales with double-digit growth, according to a 2025 Construction Dive report. “This investment is an indication of high demand for our world-class technology and our dedication to supporting aerospace customers,” said Tim Knavish, PPG chairman and CEO, according to a 2025 ECHEMI report.
The plant will feature high-tech manufacturing processes and green practices, minimizing environmental footprints while ensuring high safety and quality standards, mirroring global trends for green coatings, according to a 2025 report by PCI Magazine. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein highlighted the state’s manufacturing capabilities, saying, “North Carolina is the #1 state for manufacturing in the Southeast,” according to a 2025 report by Charlotte Stories. The project represents PPG’s return to Shelby, where it was in the 1950s, stimulating Cleveland County’s economy with employment and a $221.8 million capital investment, according to a 2025 WBTV report.
For India, PPG’s investment indicates opportunities in the aerospace coatings segment, which is expected to grow at a 5.5% CAGR to USD 2.9 billion by 2030, according to a 2024 Mordor Intelligence report. India’s coatings sector, driven by PM Gati Shakti’s infrastructure push and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)’s housing demand, sees MSMEs supplying 40% of inputs, per a 2024 CII report.
The ₹50,000 crore Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme supports MSME innovation, contributing 30% to industry output. The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) boosts MSME market access by 25%, per a 2024 SIDBI report. Skill India’s 2 million trained labor, only 5% with expertise in advanced coating technology, contribute to progress, according to a 2024 Nasscom report.
Problems continue. In India, regulatory approvals for green coatings require 4–6 years compared with China’s 2, which delays market entry, according to a 2024 Nasscom report. MSMEs incur compliance costs of ₹1–2 lakh a month, reducing global competitiveness. Infrastructure shortcomings, such as unreliable power, interrupt production, impacting 20% of units. Global trade uncertainty, affecting 30% of India’s chemical imports, further puts pressure, according to a 2024 UNCTAD report. Low adoption of ONDC, with a mere 15% of MSMEs registered, and talent gaps in Tier 2 cities also limit expansion.
Experts suggest solutions. Subsidies under Technology Upgradation Scheme can soften MSME expenses. Widening Skill India’s coating training can fill gaps. Strengthening 5G and power reliability through PM Gati Shakti will make production stable. Public-private partnerships with IITs can create sustainable coatings. CII-led initiatives can increase ONDC adoption and industry knowledge.
PPG’s $380 million Shelby plant, a strategic gamble on aerospace expansion, fortifies North Carolina’s manufacturing center and indicates global coatings demand.
For India, following such trends can upscale its coatings ecosystem, facilitating a Viksit Bharat by 2030, as long as it breaks over regulatory, skills, and infrastructure hurdles.