PPG Completes Colourful Communities Project at a Primary School in Germany

PPG has completed a COLOURFUL COMMUNITIES® project at Hermann-Butzer-Schule, a primary school in Schwieberdingen, Germany. The initiative brought together employees from PPG’s Ingersheim R&D facility, along with parents, school representatives, and local partners, to revitalise outdoor learning and recreational spaces across the school’s Bergschule and Talschule campuses.

Volunteers painted vibrant ground games and interactive markings to promote physical activity, creativity, and social engagement among students. The project also involved refurbishing wooden fences, playhouses, climbing structures, an outdoor classroom, a table tennis area, and other outdoor facilities. Developed in collaboration with Studio Vierkant, a German design studio, the design concept incorporated colorful wall graphics and graffiti-inspired artwork to create a more engaging and visually appealing learning environment.

PPG supported the project with a grant of $51,000 (€45,000), which included more than 500 litres (130 gallons) of SIGMA COATINGS™ products. The materials included Sigma Bravasol, a waterborne coating designed for ground markings and exterior applications, and Sigma Coatings Contour Aqua PU Gloss, a premium waterborne enamel for wooden surfaces such as benches. Featuring PPG’s LTA™+ resin technology, the coating provides a hard, scratch-resistant finish with excellent resistance to grease and dirt, ensuring long-lasting durability and easy maintenance in public spaces.

Hermann-Butzer-Schule serves around 500 students across its two campuses, with 19 primary school classes, a preparatory class, and a support class. The school is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive learning environment where every child feels valued, encouraging students to achieve their full potential while promoting respect, honesty, and mutual support.

“This project has created a remarkable transformation across our school grounds, making them more vibrant, welcoming, and inspiring places for children,” said Christoph Cimander, principal of Hermann-Butzer-Schule. “The improvements support not only play and physical activity, but also creativity, imagination and social interaction. The spaces encourage children to learn, explore and connect with one another while strengthening the sense of community that is so important to our school. We are grateful to PPG and everyone involved for their commitment to our students and their future.”

“At PPG, we are proud to support projects that create a lasting difference in local communities,” said Martin Maurer, PPG technical director, customer development, Germany ,Automotive OEM Coatings. “This project is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a school, parents, community partners and PPG volunteers work together toward a shared goal. I am incredibly proud of everyone involved in transforming these outdoor spaces into places that will support learning, creativity and connection for years to come.”

PPG’s Colourful Communities programme is the company’s flagship community engagement initiative focused on protecting and enhancing neighbourhoods where it operates worldwide. Through the programme, PPG employees volunteer their time and use the company’s paint products to revitalise community spaces, including schools, healthcare facilities, and playgrounds. Since its launch in 2015, the initiative has delivered more than 635 projects across over 50 countries, positively impacting more than 10.3 million people.

Source: PPG