Project gives ‘De Fabriek’ a colorful makeover
GHENT, Belgium, June 25, 2026 - PPG (NYSE: PPG) today announced the completion of a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® project
at De Fabriek, the home of the Habbekrats children’s rights charity in Ghent. Using more than 400 liters and
15 colors of SIGMA COATINGS® paint by PPG, 25 volunteers and partners transformed the center into a vibrant and
inspiring place for children and young people growing up in vulnerable home situations.
PPG volunteers recently completed a COLORFUL COMMUNITIES® project that transformed De Fabriek, the home of the Habbekrats children’s rights charity in Ghent, Belgium.
De Fabriek tells a powerful story - what was once a tannery where children were forced to work has now been returned
to young people as a haven to play and grow. Today, the center supports over 2,500 children and teenagers annually,
providing them with play areas, creative studios and dedicated meeting spaces where they can discover their talents.
Walls and floors were treated with durable Sigma Pearl Clean Semi Matt and Tigron Aqua Satin coatings using
PROGOLD® equipment, perfectly suited to a place where children play and run about every day. The volunteers
chose soft, soothing shades including Tarreyton and Secret Safari - PPG’s 2026 Color of the Year - in the
areas where young people can relax. More vibrant colors bring energy to the action zone, along with a mural designed
by Lieven Seys, PPG senior marketing manager B2B Benelux, Architectural Coatings.
“For many of our young
people, Habbekrats is a real home - a place where they can simply be children without a care in the world,”
said Chris Van Lysebetten, general coordinator at Habbekrats. “This transformation gives them the warm
environment they so richly deserve. The timing could hardly be better; later this year, Habbekrats is celebrating
its 35th anniversary with a big party.”
The project involved several partners; social enterprise Weerwerk took charge of the major painting work, while art
collective PNCHR refreshed an impressive wall featuring the Rights of the Child in 40 languages.
“For us, this is about much more than a fresh coat of paint; we want to give these children a sense of beauty
and security once again,” said Patrick van onderbergen, PPG specification manager Belgium, Architectural
Coatings. “It’s wonderful to see how a place with such a raw industrial past has now become a source of
color. This is where our commitment to people and sustainability really comes to life. PPG is about much more than
paint - we want to make a direct contribution to well-being and a better living environment.”
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 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 over
635 Colorful Communities projects, impacting more than 10.3 million people in over 50 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 $18.1 million in 2025, supporting 400+ organizations across nearly 30
countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow tomorrow’s STEM innovators and skilled
workforce 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 here.
PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD®
At PPG (NYSE: PPG), we develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials our customers have
trusted for more than 140 years. With dedication and creativity, we help solve their toughest challenges,
working closely together to find the right path forward. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in
more than 70 countries, serving customers across construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation
markets, and aftermarkets. For more information, visit
www.ppg.com.
Colorful Communities, the PPG logo and We protect and beautify the
world are registered
trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
ProGold is a trademark and Sigma Coatings is a registered
trademark of PPG Coatings
Nederland B.V.
PPG Media Contact:
Andrew Wood
Corporate Communications,
EMEA
awood@ppg.com
www.ppg.com