PEARLINGTON, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced the completion of a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® project that helped revitalize the Saturn V first-stage booster, referred to as S-IC-15, on display at INFINITY Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi. The project brought together nearly 50 employee volunteers from PPG, INFINITY Science Center and NASA, who spent a half-day painting the center’s largest space attraction.

The Colorful Communities program provides PPG volunteers and paint products along with financial contributions to bring color and vitality to communities where the company operates around the world, such as in Mississippi, where PPG operates 3 PPG PAINTS™ stores and sells PPG products through 48 local independent retailers. PPG provided approximately 105 gallons (400 liters) of specialized PPG paint products to assist with the project.

Originally constructed for the Apollo 19 mission, the S-IC-15 and its five F-1 engines would have provided the immense power required to thrust the booster from the launch pad and into space during liftoff. The mission was canceled due to budgetary constraints in September 1970, which is why the 138-foot-long (42-meter-long), 360-ton (327-metric-ton) relic can be seen from Interstate 10.

“After five decades of exposure to the elements, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the coating on the S-IC-15 was in extremely poor condition and in desperate need of attention,” said John Wilson, executive director, INFINITY Science Center. “We are thrilled to have this significant piece of history from NASA’s Apollo moon program be preserved and restored to its former glory. Thanks to the generosity of PPG and all the employee volunteers, the S-IC-15 can be enjoyed by our visitors for years to come.”

Attracting 70,000 visitors annually, the INFINITY Science Center is a popular destination for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational experiences and programming in the Gulf Coast region. The non-profit organization also serves as the official visitor center for NASA's Stennis Space Center and its resident labs and offices.

“At PPG, we are committed to providing the next generation with the tools they need to succeed in the sciences,” said Malesia Dunn, PPG executive director, PPG Foundation and corporate global social responsibility. “When we have the opportunity to support organizations like INFINITY Science Center through the Colorful Communities program, we know that we are doing more than just adding a fresh coat of paint. We are helping to foster interest and innovation in STEM-related fields.”

The Colorful Communities program, PPG’s signature initiative for supporting communities, aims to protect and beautify the neighborhoods where PPG operates around the world. Through the Colorful Communities program, PPG’s committed volunteers contribute their time and PPG paint products to help transform community assets – from painting classrooms, to bringing color to a maternity ward and redesigning a playground. Since 2015, PPG has completed more than 200 Colorful Communities projects, impacting more than 5.2 million people in 30 countries.

PPG’s global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested more than $9 million in 2018, supporting hundreds of organizations across 28 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow today’s skilled workforce and develop tomorrow’s innovators in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at www.ppgcommunities.com.

INFINITY Science Center

Located in southern Mississippi off Interstate 10 and just minutes from NASA’s Stennis Space Center, INFINITY Science Center is a non-profit science museum offering a blend of space, Earth science, engineering and technology content. It also serves as official host to the NASA visitor center for Stennis Space Center. INFINITY is “Where Fun Meets Fascinating” and the visitor experience encompasses the mix of exhibit space and hands-on experiential programming that seeks to inspire guests and spark imaginations. For more information, visit www.VisitInfinity.com or call (228) 533-9025.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 135 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $15.4 billion in 2018. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

We protect and beautify the world and PPG Paints are trademarks and Colorful Communities and the PPG Logo are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

PPG Media Contacts: Lynne EvosevichCorporate Communications878-208-2804 evosevich@ppg.com Greta EdgarCorporate Communications724-316-7552 edgar@ppg.com www.ppgcommunities.com