Founded in 1883 as Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, PPG has transformed from a plate glass manufacturer based in Pittsburgh, PA, USA to a prominent paint, coatings and specialty materials manufacturer, with more than 47,000 employees and 160 manufacturing facilities in 70-plus countries.

L&NW recently had the chance to speak to Amy Mercante, who has spent nearly 30 years with the company and has been named the global business director, Teslin Substrate Products. She provides insight on the company's latest offerings for the label and packaging space, as well as her role within the organization.

Could you tell me about your background?
After earning degrees in chemistry, math and secondary education at Washington & Jefferson College, a private college in Southwestern Pennsylvania, I started my career with PPG 29 years ago as a research and development chemist in its Automotive OEM business. A few years later, I had an opportunity to meet with customers and absolutely loved it. I decided I didn’t want to be a chemist any longer and soon transitioned into a sales role.

Throughout my career with PPG, I’ve worked in four different business units across various selling, marketing and leadership functions, along with several special assignment roles. Currently, I lead the global Teslin products organization, which is part of the Specialty Coatings and Materials business.

I’m responsible for the overall strategic direction of the business and have accountability for the full P&L. I love the global scope of the role, and am excited about expanding my knowledge base outside the coatings industry.

Can you tell me more about Teslin Substrate Products Business?
Manufactured at PPG’s Barberton, OH, facility since it was invented more than 40 years ago, PPG Teslin substrate has developed a reputation for being a durable, secure and highly-printable synthetic material. Our products are in use in nearly 100 countries and are sold through an international network of sales offices and distributors. The material is used in a wide range of applications, including labels and packaging, commercial printing, secure credentials and ID cards, e-passports and certificates. 

In the labels and packaging industry, we offer Teslin substrate as both a facestock and labelstock. We introduced our labelstock in 2017 so our label converter customers could easily purchase it for applications where a synthetic paper was the best option. It is available in standard varieties and can customized for almost any label application, including security, medical-grade, food and beverage, and other specialty label applications.

How does PPG Teslin substrate fit within the company’s hierarchy, and how has it grown?
Teslin substrate is part of PPG’s specialty coatings and materials (SCM) business based in Monroeville, PA – just outside PPG’s global headquarters in downtown Pittsburgh. The SCM business includes a diverse group of products for a broad range of customers and industries. It is comprised of five core segments: precipitated silica, optical monomers and coatings, PPG Teslin substrate, photochromic dyes and phosphorescent OLED materials.

Since its introduction in the late 1980s, the product line has expanded to include a number of application-specific grades including food, bio and security and we now have employees in all regions of the globe.

Are there certain labeling applications that benefit the most from Teslin substrate, and why?
Teslin substrate is ideal for any application where labels are exposed to tough environments where durability is critical: water, abrasion, tear and chemical resistance, and extreme temperature ranges. Perfect examples include GHS-compliant chemical drums and wine and spirits bottles.

Teslin substrate is also inherently secure, and can be embedded with program-specific features as well. This makes it an ideal option for brand authentication and track and trace applications. We’re also seeing personalized applications due to the material’s wide print compatibility and ability to withstand print methods that are subject to high heat. 

What feedback have you received from label customers?
Our adhesive coaters and label converter always tell me that Teslin substrate is extremely unique and not at all like a generic polypropylene or vinyl that they can order from any number of different vendors. In fact, many say that no other synthetic was able to solve their specific problem. I also hear that operators love working with it, because it prints beautifully and rarely requires modifications or adjustments on press.

What has business been like during the pandemic and what have some of the biggest challenges been during this time?
Throughout our 137 years in operation, PPG has successfully navigated through recessions, the Great Depression, world wars, and other difficult economic times. As a backbone, we have strong technologies, excellent people, and we’ve consistently demonstrated agility and nimbleness to manage through uncertain situations.

From the beginning of this pandemic, the most important priority has been protecting our people and their families, as well as our customers and communities. We have implemented proven, safe operating processes, including the use of effective personal protective equipment, social distancing and best-practice hygiene techniques that have been used around the world to keep our people safe.

We expect economic activities to continue to recover globally, with differences across end-use markets and geographic regions. Specific to our PPG Teslin substrate business, demand for e-Passports is down since people aren’t traveling internationally. On the other hand, we’ve seen increased demand for Teslin material in other applications, including label segments where the material is used for durable hospital ID wristbands and labeling of critical medical products, as well as track and trace applications for pharmaceutical shipments and other high-value goods.

Do you see continued growth for durable synthetic substrate material as the country is again grappling with a rise in cases again?
Overall, while the coronavirus has introduced uncertainty across many industries and applications, our expectation is that demand for synthetic labels will continue to grow. In fact, we’re seeing increases in some interesting sectors including RFID and functional labels and craft beer.  

Sustainability is a huge focus for the industry. How does PPG deliver on this?
Protecting and beautifying the world, and our culture of continuous improvement, serve as the backbone of our sustainability promise. PPG’s commitment to sustainability is expansive and focuses on operating with integrity, working safely, respecting the contributions of our people, preserving the environment and supporting the communities where we operate. 

A further testament to our efforts, we recently earned a Gold Rating in corporate social responsibility from EcoVadis, a leading provider of business sustainability ratings that many of our customers value. This ranking places PPG among the top five percent of companies evaluated.

As part of our commitment to develop sustainably advantaged products and processes that provide environmental and other sustainability benefits, we introduced PPG Teslin Bio substrate in 2011 to help customers meet the growing demand for environmentally-responsible print and label applications. Independently tested to ASTM standard D5511, substantially all of Teslin Bio substrate will ultimately biodegrade into microbe-consumable particles and other naturally occurring substances when placed in landfill environments.

Safety is another important aspect of sustainability, and it is the top priority for our company. Many of our industrial coatings customers are turning to Teslin substrate for product labels because it helps them enhance workplace safety by absorbing and dissipating static build-up generated during the labeling process.

While we feel we have made strong sustainability progress, we are focused on continuously improving our processes and products to drive sustainable practices throughout the organization, and deliver sustainability benefits for our customers.

You’ve been with PPG for almost 30 years and have no doubt seen a lot of changes in the company and the markets you serve – can you provide some thoughts on this?

Over its rich history, PPG has introduced innovative paints, coatings and specialty materials that allow customers to be more efficient, effective and sustainable. We’ve also led technological change to meet customers’ growing desire and expectation for a seamless e-commerce experience.

A great example of our focus on digital transformation is Paintzen, a business that I helped acquire and integrate during my time in PPG’s architectural coatings business. Paintzen is an on-demand painting service for homeowners to purchase paint, supplies and professional painting services online. In 2019, the business introduced PPG Services, a digitally-enabled service platform that makes it easy for businesses with multiple facilities across the US to identify and connect with professional painters. This new offering delivers on PPG’s promise to provide differentiated digital tools for customers and efficiently manage complex customer needs. This type of innovative thinking to ignite industry transformation is what I’ve challenged the Teslin substrate team to make happen for the segments and applications we serve.

As much of your career has been in coatings – what differences and similarities do you see between coatings and labels and packaging?
When I first came into my new role within PPG’s specialty coatings and materials business, what was shocking for me to learn was that the process to make Teslin substrate is nearly identical to the way we make PPG’s powder coatings.

I’ve since come to the conclusion that a customer is a customer and that the sales process is the same whether you offer a service or a widget – it’s all about needs analysis and delivering value. I believe it’s critical we focus on developing genuine relationships with our customers because people buy from people.

As a woman in a leadership position, what are your views on the power of diversity?
Workforce diversity is another positive change that I’ve witnessed working in a global company over three decades. I’ve seen firsthand that teams with diverse sets of experiences and backgrounds perform better, and develop more creative, inclusive solutions.

In fact, according to a January 2018 study by McKinsey titled “Delivering through Diversity,” companies in the top-quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 21% more likely to outperform on profitability and 27% more likely to have superior value creation. Likewise, companies in the top-quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity on executive teams were 33% more likely to have industry-leading profitability.

When companies recruit, retain and promote a diverse workforce, the result is a wider array of experiences and backgrounds that help to inform better solutions to the challenges presented by a global economy. I believe that an ongoing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion can have a measurable positive impact on how they serve customers, and companies’ bottom lines.

As business director, one of my roles is to energize, motivate and enable our talented people within the Teslin products business. I work every day to create a culture that allows our people to be their best selves at work. I believe you have to use trust as a foundation and to listen more than you talk. This proves that you value everyone’s unique perspective and it drives engagement.

I’m also a big believer in the power of mentorship and preparing the next generation of diverse talent. I make it a point to mentor, especially women through PPG’s Women’s Leadership Network, on the countless opportunities available through a career in STEM.