Ten Years of Color, One Vibrant School in Germany

A once all-white school in Hilden, Germany, is now bursting with warmth and inspiration thanks to the latest PPG COLORFUL COMMUNITIES^® project. The project is one of 10 global flagship projects celebrating 10 years of the Colorful Communities program.

Community and PPG employee volunteers from our automotive refinish site in Hilden and architectural coatings site in Bochum, Germany, joined forces with local community members to transform the Allgemeinbildende Walter-Wiederhold-Schule and create an uplifting environment for more than 70 students and 20 teachers and staff.

Working in partnership with the City of Hilden, PPG provided funding and 450 liters of SIGMA COATINGS® paints by PPG, including the durable and EU Ecolabel certified Sigma Coatings Resist Clean Matt paint, perfect for busy school hallways and classrooms.

Together, the team replaced the school’s stark white walls with colors proven to boost focus and well-being. Using a color palette developed in collaboration with the school’s teachers, this project was the first Colorful Communities project to feature PPG’s 2026 Color of the Year, “Secret Safari,” a midtone, muted honeydew green.

“This initiative shows how cooperation between the city, local partners and companies like PPG can make a visible and lasting difference for our schools and for our children,” said Claus Pommer, Mayor of Hilden. “We are grateful for the exceptional support from PPG and its volunteers, who contributed their time, energy and expertise to create such a positive atmosphere for students and teachers.”

Volunteers also helped bring to life a mural designed by local artist Nasim Rienas and inspired by Friedensbrücke (“Peace Bridge”), a visual commonly used in German schools to teach children constructive conflict resolution.

“Our business is about innovation and color, and projects like this show how those same strengths can improve people’s everyday lives,” said Jochen Kleemann, PPG director, Germany, Automotive Refinish. “Through the Colorful Communities program, we can connect what we do best at PPG with what matters most – helping to create brighter, more inspiring places for future generations.”

Learn more about 10 years of the Colorful Communities program.