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: [phone]
Alexandre Etuy, Deputy Head of IR                       Tel: [phone]

BNP Paribas (joint financial adviser to Saint-Gobain)

Thierry Dormeuil                                        Tel: [phone]
Oliver Ellingham                                        Tel: [phone]

UBS Investment Bank (joint financial adviser and broker to Saint-Gobain)

Charles-Henri Le Bret                                   Tel: [phone]
Liam Beere                                              Tel: [phone]

Brunswick (PR adviser to Saint-Gobain)

John Sunnucks                                           Tel: [phone]
Sophie Fitton                                           Tel: [phone]

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.


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