Acquisition

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain
20 April 2004


                                                                  20 April 2004

press release



                  ACQUISITION OF THE FRENCH COMPANY PLAFOMETAL


Saint-Gobain Isover has received approval from the French competition
authorities for the acquisition of Plafometal, a company based in Montherme in
northeastern France.

Plafometal is the leader in the French market for suspended metal ceilings which
it produces from its sites in Montherme, Lyon, Montpellier and Nancy under the
'Plafometal,' 'Aluform,' 'Isoprofil,' and 'Panel System' trademarks. The company
also produces metal accessories for installing drywall and grid for suspended
ceilings under the 'Beguin' trademark.

The company has revenues of € 35 million and employs 147 people.

According to Peter Dachowski Worldwide President of Saint-Gobain's Insulation
Division, 'this acquisition, together with that of the Portuguese company
Gabelex (based in Guimaraes, near Porto) consummated at the end of 2003,
which has revenues of € 10 million in sales of metal ceilings and grid, enables
the Insulation Division of Saint-Gobain to reinforce its position as a European
market leader for suspended ceiling solutions.' He added that a new European
division for interior metal products, comprising Plafometal, API (acquired in
2001) and Gabelex, would be set up under the leadership of Joost Morsink.



                                                   Investor Relations Department

Mrs Florence TRIOU-TEIXEIRA                             Tel. : [phone]
Mr. Alexandre ETUY                                      Tel. : [phone]
                                                         Fax : [phone]


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