PPG becomes largest North American glass manufacturer with capability

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 26, 2012 - PPG Industries' (NYSE:PPG) flat glass business

announced that it can now manufacture heat-strengthened glass in thicknesses
of less than 3 millimeters, which makes it among the first major glass
manufacturers in North America to offer this capability.

PPG can produce heat-strengthened glass in thicknesses of 2, 2.5 and 2.7
millimeters with surface-compression strength that exceeds that of fully
tempered glass (greater than 10,000 pounds per square inch), while achieving
ASTM C1048 standards for flatness. The added strength gives thin glass used
in various solar applications that require resistance to wind load, hail
impact and other environmental hazards the ability to meet UL and IEC
(International Electrotechnical Commission) standards as well, which may
help solar-module and solar-mirror manufacturers in North America.

When incorporated into solar modules, heat-strengthened thin glass permits
more sunlight to reach the active layer, which enhances the conversion of
sunlight into energy and increases power output. With 2-millimeter
SOLARPHIRE(R) glass, solar transmittance improves by 0.3 percent compared to
3.2-millimeter glass and by 0.5 percent compared to 4-millimeter glass.

Heat-strengthened thin glass also gives solar manufacturers the opportunity
to cut downstream costs. For instance, manufacturers may reduce material
costs for solar modules by using glass-on-glass module designs that
eliminate the need for - and expense associated with - traditional
protective plastic or polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) backing.

When used in solar mirrors for concentrated solar power (CSP) and
concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) applications, heat-strengthened thin glass
enables manufacturers to cold-bend reflective (mirror) glass into
shorter-radius support frames with less chance of stress breakage. This can
be less expensive and simpler than doing so with thick glass that is
thermally bent before mounting. Cold-bending thin glass can reduce freight
costs when mirrors are shipped flat directly to field sites for
installation. Thin glass also significantly increases the reflectivity and
related energy output of solar mirrors.

PPG can produce Solarphire PV, Solarphire AR/2XAR and Solarphire NaB glasses
as thin as 2 millimeters. Critical components made with heat-strengthened,
thin-glass versions of these products for photovoltaic (PV), CPV and CSP
designs have the potential to deliver unprecedented performance to the solar
industry.

To learn more about PPG's heat-strengthening capability for thin glass, or
to order a glass sample, visit www.ppgsolarphire.com or call 1-888-PPG-SUN1
(774-7886).

PPG: BRINGING INNOVATION TO THE SURFACE.(TM)
PPG Industries' vision is to continue to be the world's leading coatings and
specialty products company. Through leadership in innovation, sustainability
and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer
products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces
in more ways than does any other company. Founded in 1883, PPG has global
headquarters in Pittsburgh and operates in more than 60 countries around the
world. Sales in 2011 were $14.9 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New
York Stock Exchange (symbol:PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.