PPG Celebrates Sponsorship of EuroSkills Herning 2025 Vocational Skills Event

Competition highlights vital role of technical, vocational skills in driving innovation

PPG announced the successful conclusion of EuroSkills Herning 2025, Europe’s largest vocational education and skills excellence competition. Under the theme “Skilled for a Greener Future,” the three-day event welcomed 600 skilled young professionals under the age of 25 from 32 countries to compete across 38 skills.

As main skill sponsor and official competition partner for the Painting and Decorating skill category, PPG supported the next generation of painting professionals with high-performing, sustainably advantaged* products. Over the course of the event, competitors from 16 countries demonstrated their skills in tasks such as surface preparation, brushwork, wallpapering and color matching.

The Painting and Decorating skill champions were:

• Carmen Bircher (Switzerland) – gold medal
• Anna Hüllner (Germany) – silver medal
• Katharina Höller (Austria) – bronze medal
• Hildur Magnúsdóttir (Iceland) – speed mural award

In addition to the competition floor, PPG also supported the “Try-a-Skill” area, led by the Uddannelsescenter Holstebro (UCH) vocational education center, where visitors gained hands-on experience in mural painting and other painting techniques. Visitors to the PPG stand were invited to meet experts, explore PPG products, and try plastering under the guidance of PPG’s technical team.

The PPG stand was part of the event’s Sustainability Trail, a curated route where visitors could discover how industries are embracing more sustainable practices. PPG’s theme, “Select Paint Consciously – It’s More Than Just Color,” highlighted how customers’ paint choices affect not only aesthetics, but also indoor air quality, durability and environmental impact.

Torben Beck, PPG general manager, North Europe and China, Architectural Coatings, also joined a roundtable with a UCH student and industry leaders to discuss how to inspire and retain young talent in the painting profession.

“On behalf of PPG, I warmly congratulate all the winners of EuroSkills Herning 2025,” said Beck. “I am especially proud of the Painting and Decorating champions, whose talent and dedication were apparent during the competition. I also want to thank the many international experts who guided the young competitors and oversaw the marking of the competition – without their dedication, this event would not have been possible. It is important that we continue to support events that help attract more young people to our industry.”

The Painting and Decorating competition featured SIGMA COATINGS™ paints and PROGOLD™ sundries by PPG, including more than 350 gallons (1,300 liters) of paint products. All paints and primers used were water-based, including Sigma Coatings Sigmacryl 5 matte topcoat, an EU Ecolabel-certified product with high opacity and a washable finish. Competitors also worked with PPG’s 2025 Color of the Year, Amethyst Shadow, and its associated trend palettes in a mural challenge designed to showcase skill and creativity.

“We were proud to support this unique European event, as well as national competitions, and contribute to the learning journeys of these talented professionals that represent the future of our industry,” said István Miavecz, PPG general manager, Central and South Europe, Architectural Coatings.

The event included a visit from His Majesty King Frederik X of Denmark, as well as EU Ministers of Vocational Education and Training. 

PPG’s support of EuroSkills Herning 2025 is part of its global commitment to support education and workforce development initiatives that prepare students for careers in skilled trades. In 2023, PPG and the PPG Foundation announced a $2 million investment to support programs that provide training, curriculum development and career readiness resources for students and educators.

To learn more about EuroSkills Herning 2025, visit euroskills2025.com or email contact@euroskills2025.com.

*Sustainably advantaged products are defined using PPG’s internal methodology that validates product attributes and their contribution towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals. While many of our products have sustainable attributes in their end-use that promote longevity of customer assets, we consider products sustainably advantaged when they contribute to improved environmental outcomes or provide relative improvements over industry benchmarks.

PPG’s global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested $18.4 million in 2024, supporting hundreds of organizations across more than 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.

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About PPG Industries

At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for more than 140 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 $18.2 billion in 2023. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

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Contact:

Andrew Wood – Corporate Communications – awood@ppg.com

Source: PPG Industries, Inc.