Did you know that our paints help revive significant historical buildings across the entire world? Today, we would like to reveal to you three unique projects in Czechia, where a highly skilled team led by Jan Eliáš, PPG technical service manager, helped breathe new life into the National Museum, National Theatre and Hotel Thermal in Carlsbad.
Jan with Radek Kříž, technical service representative, who brings to life many customer projects
Nine Years In and Not Two Days Were the Same
Currently, Jan Eliáš serves as the technical service manager overseeing Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary. His team provides technical support and consultation services to customers in the architectural coatings and tinting color industries. Jan has been a part of PPG for the past nine years, although his connection with the company dates back much longer, thanks to his mom's career in our lab.
Jan takes pleasure in the variety of responsibilities that his job entails, as no two days are identical for him and his team. "Some days, we organize training sessions for our customers at our stores, while on others, we might be shooting a B2C video!"
However, to highlight the really special part of Jan's professional pursuits, we must look back in time, by centuries.
The team led by Jan contributed to a variety of projects that focus on restoring and renewing historical buildings, including some of the most iconic ones in Czechia. He mentions that none of this would be possible without his team of technical sales representatives. When asked about the success of the team in leading such projects, Jan remarks that it boils down to earning the complete trust of investors and contractors.
They have to see that we know what we're doing and that we understand the regulations set by the conservationists. Ultimately, we need to deliver the project on time.
Steeling the Show on a Tight Schedule
The first "big" project Jan highlights was painting the steel exterior of Hotel Thermal, located in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad). The team selected PPG SIGMACOVER™ 350 as the base paint from their protective coatings portfolio and paired it with a topcoat, PPG SIGMADUR™ 520.
"We have had excellent experiences with this product in terms of its long-lasting life and anti-corrosion protection. It has the ability to make the material look attractive for a really long time."
The hotel had a strict deadline for the renovation. Jan acknowledges that meeting deadlines, particularly when dealing with large buildings, can be challenging because of the volume of products required, often sourced from various European countries.
Safeguarding the National Treasure
Another project that Jan is particularly #PPGProud of is the renovation of the facade on the National Theatre in Prague, Czechia. The main focus of the client was on the durability of the result, as some historical buildings cannot afford to make renovations too often.
This was a specific project since they wanted us to preserve the natural look of the facade, which even required tailor-made colors.
To meet the project's requirements, the team utilized a silicate facade paint from the PRIMALEX™ brand. This proved to be the ideal solution for preserving the facade's historical aesthetic while also providing durability and longevity.
Jan's team was also able to add the National Museum in Prague to their list of renovated world-famous Czech buildings.
In response, a combination of JOHNSTONE'S™ woodcare products was selected for the renovation of the wooden window frames. "The painter tasked with the renovation project had prior experience using these products and he was pretty confident that they would deliver the desired results."
National Museum in Prague
Entering the Mega Trends: Sustainability and Digitalization
Jan notes that sustainable solutions have lately become a true buzzword especially in projects related to office or residential buildings.
"There is a growing pressure on raw material sourcing, which goes hand in hand with increasing prices. If we consider bio-based raw materials, their cost is higher than that of the traditional ones."
When it comes to historical buildings, sustainability shows a whole different face. In these cases, the emphasis is on using long-lasting products. This approach not only saves time and money but also results in a lower carbon footprint.
Hand in hand with sustainability, Jan adds that supporting digitalization in the paint industry is another priority for us. Moving on to digital training materials and e-commerce will save a lot of resources and time both on our and the customers' end.
It's a behavioral change that does not happen overnight. The paint industry is very traditional and most of the contact with customers is still made face-to-face. But we can see progress happening every day!
Are you interested in more Czech buildings and architecture around the globe? Make sure to follow our Facebook or Instagram pages where we regularly publish photos of famous buildings coated with PPG paints!