Saint Gobain Or Regulatory News (COD)

19 Apr 2005 09:34

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain19 April 2005 pressrelease Saint-Gobain enters the PDP (Plasma Display Panel) glass market through a first investment in South Korea Saint-Gobain's Flat Glass Sector (Saint-Gobain Vitrage) has decided to expandinto the booming glass market for flat TV panels, through the production ofglass for PDP (Plasma Display Panel). This technology aims at top-of-the-rangelarge dimension screens. PDP Glass will be manufactured by DISPLAY GLASS ALLIANCE, a joint-venturecreated to this effect between Saint-Gobain Vitrage (which owns 30 %), theJapanese glassmaker Central Glass (40 %) - which already partners Saint-GobainVitrage in the manufacture of Automotive Glass in Japan - and the Koreanglassmaker Hankuk Glass Industries (Hanglas) (30 %) - of which Saint-GobainVitrage is the majority shareholder. The joint venture's first processing plant will be built on the Ochang site,located 100 km from Seoul (Korea). The primary float glass to be processed willinitially come from a Central Glass facility located in Ube (Japan), andsubsequently from a specialized facility located in Korea. Production should begin in early 2006. By combining the skills and know-how of Central Glass, HGI and Saint-Gobain, thejoint venture will be able to leverage the technologies, products and customerbase that should ensure its technical, commercial and financial success. Employing around 37,000 people, Saint-Gobain's Flat Glass Sector (Saint-GobainVitrage) generated sales close to €4.4 billion in 2004. Saint-Gobain Vitrage iscurrently present in 39 countries and ranks number two worldwide and number onein Europe in the flat glass market. Saint-Gobain Vitrage is organized according to the markets it serves. Itsbusinesses include: Saint-Gobain Glass, which specializes in basic glassproducts; the Saint-Gobain Glass Solutions network, which processes anddistributes glass destined for the architectural and decoration markets;Saint-Gobain Sekurit, the leading supplier of glass to the automotive andtransport markets; and finally Saint-Gobain Specialties, which supplies glassproducts to the domestic appliances, electronics and photovoltaic industries,but also to the industrial and commercial equipment industries. April 19, 2005 Investor Relations DepartmentMrs. Florence Triou-Teixeira Tel.: +33 1 47 62 45 19Mr. Alexandre ETUY Tel.: +33 1 47 62 37 15 Fax: +33 1 47 62 50 62 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange