Offer Update

Compagnie de Saint-Gobain 31 October 2005 Not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in, into or from Australia, Canada or Japan 31 October 2005 Compagnie de Saint-Gobain Cash Offer for BPB plc Extension of the Offer and Level of Acceptances 1. Extension of the Offer The Offeror announces that the Offer is being extended and will remain open for acceptance until 1:00 p.m. (London time) on 13 November 2005. 2. Level of acceptances and ownership As at 1:00 p.m. (London time) on 30 October 2005, being the second closing date, valid acceptances of the Offer had been received in respect of 3,545,473 BPB Shares, representing approximately 0.70 per cent. of the issued BPB Shares (1). Enquiries Saint-Gobain (for analysts and investors) Florence Triou-Teixeira, Head of IR Tel: +33 1 47 62 45 19 Alexandre Etuy, Deputy Head of IR Tel: +33 1 47 62 37 15 BNP Paribas (joint financial adviser to Saint-Gobain) Thierry Dormeuil Tel: +33 1 42 98 12 34 Oliver Ellingham Tel: +44 20 7595 2000 UBS Investment Bank (joint financial adviser and broker to Saint-Gobain) Charles-Henri Le Bret Tel: +33 1 48 88 30 30 Liam Beere Tel: +44 20 7567 8000 Brunswick (PR adviser to Saint-Gobain) John Sunnucks Tel: +44 20 7404 5959 Sophie Fitton Tel: +44 20 7404 5959 Notes (1) As disclosed in the Offer Document, prior to the commencement of the Offer Period, BNP Paribas and its affiliates, who are acting in concert with the Offeror, held (through BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC) a long position of 8,000,000 BPB Shares, representing 1.59% per cent. of the issued BPB Shares, as a hedge in relation to an open interest in an equity swap that consists of a basket of shares which includes 8,000,000 BPB Shares. As the equity swap matured on 5 September 2005 and its hedge was unwound, the 8,000,000 BPB Shares were sold and BNP Paribas Arbitrage SNC no longer hold the long position. Copies of the Offer Document and the Form of Acceptance are available for collection (during normal business hours) from Capita Registrars at PO Box 166, The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4TH. Further information on Saint-Gobain is available on Saint-Gobain's website www.saint-gobain.com Terms used in this announcement shall have the meaning given to them in the Offer Document. The Offer in the United States is made solely by the Offeror and neither BNP Paribas, UBS nor any of their respective affiliates is making the Offer into the United States. The Saint-Gobain Directors and the Offeror Directors accept responsibility for the information contained in this announcement. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the Saint-Gobain Directors and the Offeror Directors (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case), the information contained in this announcement for which they are responsible is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information. BNP Paribas and UBS are acting exclusively for Saint-Gobain and the Offeror in connection with the Offer and no one else, and will not be responsible to anyone other than Saint-Gobain and the Offeror for providing the protections afforded to respective clients of BNP Paribas and UBS nor for providing advice in relation to the Offer or any other matter referred to herein. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or an invitation to purchase any securities or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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