Total Coatings Coverage Makes PPG Comex the Choice for Dos Bocas

Q: What methods does PPG Comex use to attract international companies that are not aware of the brand?

A: We have two main strategies to attract customers. One is to leverage our relationships with different companies around the world. With previous clients, we can point toward the relationship we already have abroad and explain how we expertly execute our projects, whether in regard to coatings or painting services. Often previous clients look for us in Mexico because of the service support we offer: technical guidance, a professional service and, most importantly, availability of materials.

The other scenario occurs when companies have no prior knowledge of PPG Comex. In this case, we can map out the projects that are happening in Mexico and find out who are the key players, then approach each stakeholder and demonstrate our capabilities, solutions and our technical guidance.  All of these will impact our brand and create a very strong value proposition.

Q: What is PPG Comex’s role in the Dos Bocas refinery?

A: PPG Comex is proud to be the first company to supply specialized coatings for the Dos Bocas refinery. Our main role in the project is to help PEMEX to specify the best material for all areas while complying with national and international standards, adding a value offer with technologies with a higher productivity that helps to accomplish with protection, execution and life expectation. Part of our involvement is to deliver training services to workers. These include onsite work, webinars and conferences that help to bring best practices, products and technologies up to the level of the international industry. 

At Dos Bocas, PEMEX required a company that had an advanced expertise in specialized coatings so that dedicated solutions were used for the new construction. They also needed a company that could offer the local availability of those coating. The refinery is large and the quantity of coatings required is huge. We have seven facilities that are focused on the production of the coatings that will be used in Dos Bocas. We could also provide access to international technologies – not just national technologies – that would help the facility reach the standards they are looking for. PPG Comex is very strong on the technical side and has a deep knowledge of worldwide industries.  

Q: How did the company train staff last year and what did you teach them?

A: Training took a different scope during 2020 because we could not use the traditional onsite methods, given the pandemic. We had to use alternative methods such as webinars, virtual tech, conferences, etc.

ISO 12944 is the standard that the global industry requires and that Mexican oil and gas industry facilities must comply with. The challenge today is to use ISO 12944, which is particularly large: it has nine separate segments; that sometimes results in a lot of information for our customers. We are able to explain this standard briefly to our customers with the objective of making sure that they can choose appropriately the coating system that best protects their facilities.

Q: Does PPG Comex intend to be further involved in PEMEX’s other maintenance programs?

A: PEMEX has a maintenance investment program and we are usually involved in those maintenance plans, either working directly with PEMEX or via a third-party contractor. We always participate in PEMEX tenders and we know that PEMEX must increase its production capacity for different combustible types across the National Refinery System. Aside from the refinery capacity, there is also storage capacity that must be increased. We are ready with solutions that improve the protection and chemical resistance of the assets, and that also lengthen the lifetime of their facilities. With these materials PEMEX has a stronger cost-benefit ratio across its investments.

Q: What are the specific strengths of the company’s coating products for the oil and gas industry?

A: Our product portfolio for the oil and gas industry is wide, regarding the different protection that we offer. In a refinery, we have to deal with a very harsh corrosive, acid, cryogenic and heat environments. Our coatings can provide extended protection to the asset’s integrity against all these risks; our product portfolio not only includes corrosion protective coatings, we also have antiacid protection for steel and concrete, high temperature materials and Passive fire protection.

PPG Comex has a coating solution for every environment. For example, there are a variety of high-temperature areas within one single refinery and we cover each of these temperature variants. Another refinery-specific example would be the need for chemical resistance against sulfur. Atmospheric corrosion is also problematic at a refinery and we have another dedicated coating for that. We have invested resources to develop technologies to ensure that we can offer the correct solution for every need.

Q: In which areas is PPG Comex forecasting growth?

A: Our growth forecasts for both the short and midterm is split into two sections. On one side, we have the macro projects like the Dos Bocas refinery. This is Mexico’s flagship project and one of the major projects the company plans to work on. On the other side, we have smaller but nonetheless important individual projects, such as storage facilities. Storage terminals have public and private investment, and their development is one of the main initiatives of the country in order to increase fuel storage capacity and be more independent of fuel imports. We will certainly be targeting the growing storage terminal activity in the country, while still caring and participating in maintenance and repairs of private and government oil and gas projects.

Probably Mexico’s most recognizable brand of industrial paint and consumer construction materials and tools, PPG Comex is supplying the Dos Bocas refinery project with unique and essential coatings materials, coatings technologies, and training.