SAINT_GOBAIN_REGISTRATION_DOCUMENT_2017

Strategic drivers for sustainable growth Sustainable differentiation through innovation and R&D

TRANSVERSAL PROGRAMS

STRATEGIC PROGRAM

MATERIAL SCIENCE AND PROCESSES Physics and chemistry of mineral binders Organic and inorganic foams Adhesives and adhesion Wet coatings Non-destructive evaluation Innovative glass and furnaces

BUILDING SCIENCE Acoustics Indoor air quality

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION Additive manufacturing and 3D printing Robotics and automation Connected objects and smart data for our products and services

IMPROVEMENT OF OUR CO 2 FOOTPRINT

Energy performance, thermal and visual comfort

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Leveraging internal resources 3.1.2 Group R&D is based on a global network of eight multi-activity, cross-disciplinary research centers and numerous R&D units and teams specific to a single Saint-Gobain Activity. This networked organization enables it to identify local innovation needs and provide global responses, by drawing on solutions and skills from all of its centers throughout the world. It helps to speed up the innovation processes that bring together teams from R&D, manufacturing, marketing and sales throughout project durations, ensuring that all the skills that are needed for project success are available. R&D contributes to the roll-out of the Multi-Comfort program by developing new increasingly efficient solutions, adapted to the local construction methods and focusing on the comfort and experience of occupants. It is supporting the Group in its digital transition, providing strong support for Industry 4.0 and the development of new services and more effective sales strategies. For several years now, the virtual and augmented reality research teams have contributed their expertise to develop sales support applications. The data science teams have been strengthened to support the Activities with digital marketing and production data analysis. This support for Group strategy and developments is possible as a result of the prospective development of new skills in the R&D centers in terms of automation, sensors, 3D printing and data science, as well as design and user experience, and sociology and human sciences, to provide better analysis of the impact of these solutions on user behavior.

An innovation culture rolled out 3.1.3 to the Activities This innovation culture has been rolled out to all the Group’s sectors. As part of its downstream growth in Flat Glass Activities, the Group gives preference to targeted partnerships for joint development projects. Sekurit’s differentiation strategy is focused on the development of a number of highly innovative solutions and is aimed at maintaining its position as a preferred partner of automobile manufacturers, helping them to rise to the technology challenges of connected and independent electric vehicles. In its glass businesses, Saint-Gobain is developing innovative technologies, applying the latest techniques, such as the ECLAZ® range of glazing launched in 2017. This next generation of glass with enhanced insulation for glazing buildings provides improved visual and thermal comfort, while reducing the energy needed for air conditioning and lighting. ECLAZ® is the product of a breakthrough innovation following eight years of in-house research and joint development. The Group is also accelerating its growth through differentiation in the High-Performance Materials area. Codevelopments in diversified industrial niche markets are yielding superior and long-term profitability. These highly specialized niches include, for example, catalyst substrates for the petrochemicals industry, refractory products for glass furnaces, bearings and customized tolerance rings for the automotive industry, as well as single-use plastics solutions for the biopharmaceuticals industry. In these markets, where Saint-Gobain is a world leader, the High-Performance Materials business model is central to this success: an integrated development strategy, from materials composition and component design to precision manufacturing, affording tailored solutions to cater for specific customer needs.

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