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Our mission is to create great places and improve daily lives.
As a business, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and solutions, which are key ingredients in the wellbeing of each of us and the future of all. They can be found everywhere in our living places and our daily life: in buildings, transportation, infrastructure and in many industrial applications. They provide comfort, performance and safety while addressing the challenges of sustainable construction, resource efficiency and climate change.
Our Purpose
Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and solutions, which are key ingredients in the wellbeing of each of us and the future of all. They can be found everywhere in our living places and our daily life: in buildings, transportation, infrastructure and in many industrial applications. They provide comfort, performance and safety while addressing the challenges of sustainable construction, resource efficiency and climate change.
The Saint-Gobain Group
Saint-Gobain was founded in 1665 to deliver a world first – the production of glass on an industrial scale - and has continued to grow its business through adapting and innovating to provide new services, products and ways of working with customers. Saint-Gobain now has more than 179,000 employees of over 100 nationalities, who are proud to help create great living places across the world through industrial and distribution businesses, and improve daily life for everyone. Find out more about the saint-gobain group at www.saint-gobain.com
Saint-Gobain in the UK & Ireland
Saint-Gobain in the UK and Ireland includes some of the best-known and respected companies in the construction sector including: British Gypsum, Jewson, Graham, Weber, Isover, Glassolutions, Saint-Gobain PAM, and Ecophon. Together they offer a range of high performance energy-saving products and solutions to help create great living places and improve daily life.
Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland operates in three sectors :
Construction Products
including gypsum, insulation, mortar, ductile pipes and fittings.
Building Distribution
including general builders and plumbers merchants and a wide variety of specialist materials distributors.
Architectural
and Glass for buildings - including our glass brands.
Saint-Gobain operates across the UK and Ireland with a large industrial and manufacturing network comprising of 45 manufacturing sites making high performing products and solutions. We serve the construction sector, principally, but also the automotive, industrial, energy, agriculture and healthcare sectors. We also have a large retail network spanning more than 1,100 retail locations. This network supplies more than 400,000 general and specialist building materials
1665
Saint-Gobain was founded in 1665 to deliver a world first – the production of glass on an industrial scale - and has continued to grow its business through adapting and innovating to provide new services, products and ways of working with customers.
1681
Saint-Gobain manufactures the Hall of Mirrors in King Louis' Palace of Versailles.
1830
Saint-Gobain becomes a PLC for the first time. It is now listed on on the Euronext Market in France and a member of the CAC 40.
1970
Saint-Gobain merges with Pont-a-Mousson - Saint-Gobain now manufacturees Pipe products.
1985
Acquisition of Stanton PLC marked Saint-Gobain's first presence in the UK. Saint-Gobain's PAM division now includes Stanton PLC and their associated industrial works.
1986
The acquisition by Saint-Gobain of what is now Saint-Gobain Sekurit, automotive glass. First applications: VW Golf, Audi A3, VW Jetta USA, Audi TT.
1987
The acquisition of Solar Gard UK, Ltd. Solar Gard make state-of-the-art window film & protective coatings for the architecture and automotive markets - reducing glare, heat & energy cost.
1988
Acquisition of the ceramics division of the UK TSL group, later known as Saint-Gobain Quartz. Products can be found in aircraft, railways and the solar industry.
1990
The acquisitions of Solaglas (now named Glassolutions) and the Norton Group (now Saint-Gobain Abrasives) - which was founded in 1885.
1996
Th acquistion of Carborundum from BP. The business processes silicon carbide and other ceramic products into multiple applications. Carborundum products have been put to use in virtually every industry, from steel to automotive to space exploration.
1997
Acquisition of Unicorn, now Saint-Gobain Abrasives, and Glynwed, now part of Saint-Gobain PAM business.
1998
The acquisition of Oliver Ashworth (Ashworth Frazer)- Frazer serves the Civils Contractor market - for groundworks and utilities. In 2019 Frazer, together with Jewson Civils and Minister formed a new Saint-Gobain Contracts Division in the UK & Ireland.
2000
The acquisition of Chemfab, now known as Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics (PPL) and part of Saint-Gobain's High Performance Solutions business division. Chemfab manufactrures a wide range of PTFE coated materials serving markets as diverse as food processing, aerospace, energy, flooring and many more.
2000
A major acquisition for Saint-Gobain - purchasing Meyer International PLC. This purchase included two major distribution brands - Jewson and Graham the Plumbers' Merchant - serving general builders and the plumbing and sanitaryware market.
2001
Acquisition of Matthew Charlton, a general distributor based in Northumberland. Matthew Charlton has a history going back to 1842.
2005
The acquistion of BPB Plc - British Gypsum in the UK. A FTSE 100 business - BPB operated a worldwide plasterboard network and was the largest manufacturer in the world. Five plasterboard plants are in the UK where it also manufacturers its Thistle brand of plaster
2006
The acquisition of JP Corry, the largest builders' merchant in Northern Ireland at the time. Now the brand remains one of the largest and respected in Northern Ireland with a strong focus on Corporate Responsibility. It operates 17 branches across Northern Ireland.
2007
Saint-Gobain acquires Normans the Jersey based builders’ merchant, Parkhead Building in Scotland; Trusses to Trust, a roofing and wooden floor specialist; ARDS Timber in Ulster; and Lonergan Hardware in the Republic of Ireland. In total 8 acquisitions were made in 2007 a period of considerable growth in the business at the height of construction sector's activity.
2011
Saint-Gobain acquires Build Center the UK’s fourth largest general builders' merchant. With a network of 148 branches located across the UK, including a large concentration in the dynamic South East, Build Center offered an excellent geographic fit with the Jewson network.
2012
Saint-Gobain acquires Celotex, a growing business based in Suffolk. This is a major step in the PIR insulation market for Saint-Gobain to complement it's existing mineral wool insulation business Isover. Celotex's rigid PIR insulation helps to insulate properties without requiring the same thickness of material as other insulations. In 2019, Celotex and Isover became part of a new INsulation UK division offering a wide range of insulations to customers.
2016
Saint-Gobain acquires Benchmark Building Supplies. Based on the North West of England and founded in 1996 it trades from six locations around Greater Manchester.
2015
In 2015 Saint-Gobain celebrated its 350th anniversary. Saint-Gobain is one of the oldest and most respected businesses in the world. Known for it's long history, innovation, approach to sustainability and its products' quality and service.
2017
Acquisition of Scotframe Ltd, complimenting the building distribution portfolio. Scotframe manufacturers high-performing whole timber homes. Based in Scotland Scotframe is now one part of Saint-Gobain's Off-Site Solutions division in the UK & Ireland.
2018
Saint-Gobain acquires Micro Hydraulics. The first acquisition for Saint-Gobain's Life Sciences division in the UK - supplying the medical and Pharmaceutical markets with single use tubing and fluid transfer solutions. Micro has been renamed Saint-Gobain Life Sciences Ireland and is based in Dublin, Ireland.
2018
Saint-Gobain acquires UK-based Farécla Products. Farécla was founded in 1952 and manufactures surface finishing products and solutions for consumer and industrial uses including principally automotive markets. The acquisition enables Saint-Gobain to expand its surface finishing product range while at the same time bringing its technical expertise to engineer new solutions in the automotive as well as other polishing/finishing markets.
2019
Saint-Gobain acquires Pritex, a key player in acoustic and thermal insulation solutions made from polymer-based composite materials and intended for the mobility market. The acquisition will allow the Mobility business unit of Saint-Gobain High Performance Solutions to expand its business model beyond automotive glazing and become a provider of solutions in the mobility market for comfort, safety and energy saving. Pritex employs 240 people and was established in 1959.
1665
Saint-Gobain was founded in 1665 to deliver a world first – the production of glass on an industrial scale - and has continued to grow its business through adapting and innovating to provide new services, products and ways of working with customers.
1681
Saint-Gobain manufactures the Hall of Mirrors in King Louis' Palace of Versailles.
1830
Saint-Gobain becomes a PLC for the first time. It is now listed on on the Euronext Market in France and a member of the CAC 40.
1970
Saint-Gobain merges with Pont-a-Mousson - Saint-Gobain now manufacturees Pipe products.
1985
Acquisition of Stanton PLC marked Saint-Gobain's first presence in the UK. Saint-Gobain's PAM division now includes Stanton PLC and their associated industrial works.
1986
The acquisition by Saint-Gobain of what is now Saint-Gobain Sekurit, automotive glass. First applications: VW Golf, Audi A3, VW Jetta USA, Audi TT.
1987
The acquisition of Solar Gard UK, Ltd. Solar Gard make state-of-the-art window film & protective coatings for the architecture and automotive markets - reducing glare, heat & energy cost.
1988
Acquisition of the ceramics division of the UK TSL group, later known as Saint-Gobain Quartz. Products can be found in aircraft, railways and the solar industry.
1990
The acquisitions of Solaglas (now named Glassolutions) and the Norton Group (now Saint-Gobain Abrasives) - which was founded in 1885.
1996
Th acquistion of Carborundum from BP. The business processes silicon carbide and other ceramic products into multiple applications. Carborundum products have been put to use in virtually every industry, from steel to automotive to space exploration.
1997
Acquisition of Unicorn, now Saint-Gobain Abrasives, and Glynwed, now part of Saint-Gobain PAM business.
1998
The acquisition of Oliver Ashworth (Ashworth Frazer)- Frazer serves the Civils Contractor market - for groundworks and utilities. In 2019 Frazer, together with Jewson Civils and Minister formed a new Saint-Gobain Contracts Division in the UK & Ireland.
2000
The acquisition of Chemfab, now known as Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics (PPL) and part of Saint-Gobain's High Performance Solutions business division. Chemfab manufactrures a wide range of PTFE coated materials serving markets as diverse as food processing, aerospace, energy, flooring and many more.
2000
A major acquisition for Saint-Gobain - purchasing Meyer International PLC. This purchase included two major distribution brands - Jewson and Graham the Plumbers' Merchant - serving general builders and the plumbing and sanitaryware market.
2001
Acquisition of Matthew Charlton, a general distributor based in Northumberland. Matthew Charlton has a history going back to 1842.
2005
The acquistion of BPB Plc - British Gypsum in the UK. A FTSE 100 business - BPB operated a worldwide plasterboard network and was the largest manufacturer in the world. Five plasterboard plants are in the UK where it also manufacturers its Thistle brand of plaster
2006
The acquisition of JP Corry, the largest builders' merchant in Northern Ireland at the time. Now the brand remains one of the largest and respected in Northern Ireland with a strong focus on Corporate Responsibility. It operates 17 branches across Northern Ireland.
2007
Saint-Gobain acquires Normans the Jersey based builders’ merchant, Parkhead Building in Scotland; Trusses to Trust, a roofing and wooden floor specialist; ARDS Timber in Ulster; and Lonergan Hardware in the Republic of Ireland. In total 8 acquisitions were made in 2007 a period of considerable growth in the business at the height of construction sector's activity.
2011
Saint-Gobain acquires Build Center the UK’s fourth largest general builders' merchant. With a network of 148 branches located across the UK, including a large concentration in the dynamic South East, Build Center offered an excellent geographic fit with the Jewson network.
2012
Saint-Gobain acquires Celotex, a growing business based in Suffolk. This is a major step in the PIR insulation market for Saint-Gobain to complement it's existing mineral wool insulation business Isover. Celotex's rigid PIR insulation helps to insulate properties without requiring the same thickness of material as other insulations. In 2019, Celotex and Isover became part of a new INsulation UK division offering a wide range of insulations to customers.
2016
Saint-Gobain acquires Benchmark Building Supplies. Based on the North West of England and founded in 1996 it trades from six locations around Greater Manchester.
2015
In 2015 Saint-Gobain celebrated its 350th anniversary. Saint-Gobain is one of the oldest and most respected businesses in the world. Known for it's long history, innovation, approach to sustainability and its products' quality and service.
2017
Acquisition of Scotframe Ltd, complimenting the building distribution portfolio. Scotframe manufacturers high-performing whole timber homes. Based in Scotland Scotframe is now one part of Saint-Gobain's Off-Site Solutions division in the UK & Ireland.
2018
Saint-Gobain acquires Micro Hydraulics. The first acquisition for Saint-Gobain's Life Sciences division in the UK - supplying the medical and Pharmaceutical markets with single use tubing and fluid transfer solutions. Micro has been renamed Saint-Gobain Life Sciences Ireland and is based in Dublin, Ireland.
2018
Saint-Gobain acquires UK-based Farécla Products. Farécla was founded in 1952 and manufactures surface finishing products and solutions for consumer and industrial uses including principally automotive markets. The acquisition enables Saint-Gobain to expand its surface finishing product range while at the same time bringing its technical expertise to engineer new solutions in the automotive as well as other polishing/finishing markets.
2019
Saint-Gobain acquires Pritex, a key player in acoustic and thermal insulation solutions made from polymer-based composite materials and intended for the mobility market. The acquisition will allow the Mobility business unit of Saint-Gobain High Performance Solutions to expand its business model beyond automotive glazing and become a provider of solutions in the mobility market for comfort, safety and energy saving. Pritex employs 240 people and was established in 1959.
Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland is a broad organisation comprising of 34 businesses. This means we occupy a unique position with the capability to effect real change through our commitments. We aim to operate our business with the highest levels of responsibility underpinned by strong values communicated in our Principles of Conduct & Action. We use this position to help our industry be recognised as one that is responsible, innovative, low-carbon and positively impacts on the wellbeing of individuals. The Saint-Gobain Group has a rich history and I am proud to lead the UK and Ireland into an exciting future full of potential.
Mike Chaldecott, Saint-Gobain, UK & Ireland & CEO
Improving lives by creating better buildings
Saint-Gobain creates, advocates for and designs solutions that focus on improving the performance and comfort of buildings, infrastructure, transportation and healthcare systems. The Group collaborates with partners to create products and systems to meet needs and also advocates for improvements in policy and regulations that support a built environment that delivers better performing buildings.
Saint-Gobain’s focus on this subject is founded on research and a strong belief that better performing buildings enhance people’s sense of wellbeing, improve educational results, help people heal better in healthcare settings and make those using buildings more productive and efficient
This belief led to the development of the Multi Comfort design concept. This concept is about building and renovating homes, offices, schools, hospitals and other buildings in a way that gives improved comfort and wellbeing, whilst protecting the environment. To find out more about Multi Comfort in the UK & Ireland visit www.multicomfort.co.uk or visit the Saint-Gobain Group Multi Comfort website for a global overview of Multi Comfort.
The Saint-Gobain Group Overview 2019 [PDF]
A 2019 overview of the Saint-Gobain Group and UK & Ireland business [PDF format].
- Corporate Literature
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The Saint-Gobain Group Presentation 2019 [PPT]
A 2019 PowerPoint overview of the Saint-Gobain Group & UK & Ireland business [PPT Format]
- PowerPoint Presentations
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Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland: CSR Review 2016/17
CSR Review for Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland covering the period 2016/17.
- CSR
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An Introduction to Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland
As a business, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and solutions, which are key ingredients in the wellbeing of each of us and the future of all.
- Corporate Literature
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Corporate Brochure Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland [2018, PDF]
The 2018 Corporate Brochure for Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland [PDF,28page]. Includes full details of our business, brands and strategy to improve the wellbeing of each of us and the future of all.
- Corporate Literature
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SAINT-GOBAIN ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOUNDATION
The Saint-Gobain Entrepreneurship Foundation is an initiative by Saint-Gobain, in partnership with the CITB
- Corporate Literature
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