Joint Venture Agreement China

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain
02 December 2002

press release




                      SAINT-GOBAIN'S PIPE DIVISION TO SIGN

                       A JOINT-VENTURE AGREEMENT IN CHINA



On November 29, 2002, Saint-Gobain's Pipe Division signed a joint-venture
agreement with the Chinese company Xuzhou General Iron and Steel, based in
Xuzhou in the Province of Jiangsu (capital: Nanking). The resulting company will
manufacture and sell ductile iron pipes in the 300- to 1000-mm range, thereby
broadening the Group's position in a growing market.



With a 75% share in the company, the Pipe Division will be the majority partner.



The agreement will take effect after approval by the appropriate Chinese
authorities.



Evidence of Saint-Gobain's recent expansion in China, the joint venture will
boost the Pipe Division to the number-two position in the Chinese market.



Via this agreement, the Saint-Gobain Pipe Division achieves a major strategic
goal of developing its presence in emerging markets and strengthens its world
leadership in ductile iron pipes.



December 2nd, 2002.





                         Investor Relations Department



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