Coatings and materials manufacturer PPG Industries revealed plans Monday to increase the capacity for overvarnish coatings at its Delaware, OH production plant. Products made at the site will be used in beverage can exteriors.

“Beverage can manufacturers around the world are facing unprecedented demand for their products,” Todd White, general manager, US and Canada and global strategic accounts, packaging coatings for PPG, said in a company release. “With this added capacity, we are committed to helping them meet that demand while adding more security to their supply chain for beverage can coatings.”

The COVID-19 pandemic sparked intense demand for beverage cans as consumers shifted to drinking soft drinks and alcohol at home. Can Manufacturers Institute Vice President of Sustainability Scott Breen told the audience at the S&P Global Platts Aluminum Virtual Symposium this February that aluminum can shipments grew by 6.2% in the US between 2019 and 2020. During that period, an additional 10 billion unfilled cans were brought in the country to meet demand.

Business insights firm MarketsandMarkets recently estimated the value of the global beverage can market in 2021 at $23.7 billion. By 2026, the market is expected to reach $31.2 billion.

The company also recently added overvarnish capacity at its packaging coatings plant in Oak Creek, WI. With the expanded production at its Delaware site, PPG’s overall production of overvarnish coatings in the US will be increased by 40%.

“PPG is the largest global supplier of overvarnish and two-piece non-BPA internal beverage coatings,” said Robyn McMillan, global beverage segment manager for PPG, in a statement. “With can makers scaling up, we’re investing in our production capacity to ensure they have localized sources for the PPG coatings they rely on.”

In addition to overvarnish coatings, the Delaware facility also manufactures resins and other coatings for packaging, industrial, automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and automotive refinish and collision markets.

Powder & Bulk Solids reported in June that PPG announced plans to increase its production capacity for food and beverage can coatings in Europe. The company said the project will increase the capacity for PPG INNOVEL non-BPA internal coatings for beverage cans by 30% at its Tiel, The Netherlands plant. The expansion is expected to reach completion in 2022.