Saint Gobain Or Regulatory News (COD)

21 Dec 2007 08:51

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain21 December 2007 SAINT-GOBAIN ACQUIRES THE THIRD LARGEST DANISH BUILDERS' MERCHANT AND LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVE NEGOTIATIONS FOR THE PURCHASE OF ESTONIA'S LEADING BUILDERS' MERCHANT December 20, 2007 Saint-Gobain's Building Distribution Sector announces the acquisition of DLH'sbuilding materials distribution division and the launch of exclusivenegotiations for the purchase of the Estonian building materials distributorFamar Desi. • With estimated sales of DKK1.82 billion (€245 million) in 2007, DLH's building materials distribution division is the third largest builders' merchant in Denmark. The network has 18 outlets and a logistics center and employs 550 people. • With estimated sales of EEK1.9 billion in 2007 (€122 million), Famar Desi is Estonia's leading builders' merchant. Its network encompasses 16 outlets, including two in Latvia, thereby establishing Saint-Gobain's Building Distribution Sector for the first time in that country. Famar Desi has 700 employees. Following the 2004 acquisition of the DAHL group, Scandinavia's leading plumbingand heating distributor, and the 2005 acquisition of the Optimera group, abuilders' merchant in Norway and Sweden, Saint-Gobain's Building DistributionSector continues its development strategy in the Nordic countries, buildingsolid bases for expansion in Denmark and the Baltic countries. With these acquisitions, full-year sales for the Building Distribution Sector inthe Nordic countries are expected to reach €3.3 billion, an average annualincrease of 24% since the acquisition of DAHL. The acquisitions should bring theBuilding Distribution Sector's network to 78 outlets in Denmark and 19 inEstonia. The acquisitions are subject to approval from the relevant competitionauthorities. Saint-Gobain's Building Distribution Sector generated sales of €17.6 billion in2006. With more than 70,000 employees and 4,000 outlets in 24 countries, it isthe leading European distributor of building materials and the world's leadingdistributor of tiling products. Its main distribution brands are Point.P,Jewson, Raab Karcher, DAHL, Lapeyre la maison and the Platform chain. Investor Relations Department Mrs Florence Triou-Teixeira Tel.: +33 1 47 62 45 19 Mr Alexandre Etuy Tel.: +33 1 47 62 37 15 Mr Vivien Dardel Tel.: +33 1 47 32 44 29 Fax.: +33 1 47 62 50 62 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange