By 1808Delaware
PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. plans to invest more than $280 million to expand its existing manufacturing operation in Delaware, adding 100 new full-time jobs and nearly $8 million in annual payroll. Construction is expected to begin later in 2026, with the new facility projected to be operational in 2028.
In a city known for courthouses and college quads, one of Delaware’s largest industrial employers is preparing for a major next chapter. This is a clear statement that advanced manufacturing remains central to Delaware’s economic future.
A 100,000-square-foot addition focused on automotive coatings
PPG Industries already employs roughly 450 people at its Delaware site, making it a long-standing industrial anchor in the city. The planned expansion will add a 100,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility at the existing location.
The new plant will produce automotive OEM coatings and related paints and coatings for automakers and parts suppliers. Company materials emphasize “sustainably advantaged” technologies, signaling continued investment in lower-emission and more environmentally responsible production systems.
On the ground, that likely means:
- Site preparation and utility work beginning in late 2026
- Core building construction through 2027
- Interior build-out, equipment installation, and production-line commissioning into 2028
Hiring and training would ramp up as equipment is installed and tested, with full operations launching in 2028.
What the 100 new jobs will look like
The 100 new positions are described as full-time-equivalent roles tied directly to the expanded coatings operation. These are plant-based jobs, not office relocations.
Most positions are expected to fall into:
- Production and process operator roles
- Skilled maintenance technicians
- Laboratory and quality-control staff
- Engineering and technical specialists
- Frontline supervisory positions
With nearly $8 million in projected annual payroll, the math suggests a mix of hourly production roles and higher-paid technical positions. That mix is typical for advanced manufacturing facilities that rely on both automated systems and specialized coatings expertise. For Delaware, that translates into stable, mid- to upper-income industrial employment, not just construction-phase jobs.
State incentives and regional positioning
The project received approval for an eight-year, 1.483 percent Job Creation Tax Credit from the Ohio Tax Credit Authority. As with similar projects, final incentives are contingent on performance benchmarks such as job creation and payroll commitments.
Regionally, the expansion reinforces the Columbus area’s role in advanced manufacturing and the automotive supply chain. As central Ohio continues to attract semiconductor, mobility, and logistics investment, having an established coatings manufacturer scaling up inside the city limits strengthens Delaware’s industrial profile.
Statewide, the PPG expansion is one of eight recent development projects expected to create approximately 1,320 jobs and generate roughly $853 million in new investment.
It would be easy to focus only on the headline number: $280 million. But the more important signal may be this: an existing employer with nearly 450 workers in Delaware is choosing to expand here rather than elsewhere.
Image by MertSabanci from Pixabay
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