PPG donates PPG CORAFLON ADS coatings to restore flying saucer in Mars, Pennsylvania

Today announced that it has donated PPG CORAFLON® ADS (air-dry system) coatings, including primer, metallic topcoat and clearcoat, to refurbish the famous flying saucer that has been a fixture in downtown Mars, Pennsylvania, since the early 1980s. The new coating system is expected to last a minimum of 15 to 20 years. The spaceship, which measures about 9 feet (2.7 meters) in diameter and weighs nearly 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms), was removed by crane from its perch in the Mars town square near the end of March 2019. Oesterling’s Sandblasting & Painting in nearby Butler, Pennsylvania, sandblasted and recoated the saucer, with the Mars Historical Society choosing the silver-metallic color. Experts from the PPG TRUEFINISH® industrial coatings business recommended PPG Coraflon ADS coating system for its durability and texture. The system is formulated with an advanced fluoroethylene vinyl ether (FEVE) fluoropolymer resin to provide decades of corrosion protection and brilliant chalk- and fade-free color on skyscrapers, storefronts and other high-visibility architectural applications. The restored flying saucer was reinstalled on May 23 in time for the Mars Exploration Celebration being held May 31 through June 2 and sponsored for the first time by the PPG Science Education Council. The event is an extension of the town’s Mars New Year celebration, which was held on March 21. A new year begins on the planet every 678 days.