Building Materials Division Goes Online in US

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain
16 May 2000



           The Building Materials Division of Saint-Gobain goes into
                     On-line Services in the United States


CertainTeed, a Saint-Gobain subsidiary in the United States, has joined forces
including through an equity investment with ServiceMagic.com, an on-line
services company.

This company offers American consumers a very wide range of services, putting
them in touch with local service professionals, able to solve their problems,
particularly in the field of home improvement. Using www.ServiceMagic.com, the
individual will be put in touch with several contractors in his area, able to
meet his specific requirements.

Under the arrangements made, CertainTeed will list on the ServiceMagic.com site
professional installers of CertainTeed products; the ServiceMagic site will be
accessible from CertainTeed's site.

This association will heighten market awareness of CertainTeed.  But above all,
it will strengthen CertainTeed's links with professional installers to whom it
will bring new services and new customers.  It will also benefit distributors 
by increasing demand for their products.

As for ServiceMagic, it will benefit from its association with CertainTeed
through the well-known CertainTeed brand name and through the enlargement of its
network of home service contractors.

ServiceMagic is thus completing its financing, bringing together several
financial and industrial partners like Softbank Venture Capital, US West, Maytag
and CertainTeed. The company is also entering into an increasing number of sales
and marketing partnerships.  Its services are already available in 15
geographical areas, but will be available in 30 cities in the United States by
the end of the year.

                         Investor Relations Department
Tel.: Florence TRIOU-TEIXEIRA [phone]-mailto: florence.triou@saint-
                                                        gobain.com
Tel,:  Lounis BEKKAT          [phone]-mailto: lounis.bekkat@saint-
                                                        gobain.com
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