Saint-Gobain // Universal Registration Document 2021

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Strategy The action: a strategic plan based on six priorities

The digital revolution's fuel is data. Data is a 21st century gold mine, and the efforts of all the Group’s teams are now focused on the collection, understanding, and analysis of it. This is the key to Saint-Gobain’s transformation into a solution provider, thanks to the in-depth knowledge of customers provided by the multiple points of contact between them and the Group throughout the value chain, and the mass of data they generate.

Saint-Gobain has an unrivalled number of points of contact with its customers throughout its value chain

Recycling and end of life management

Enrichment of business offering

Project management support

Innovation

Distribution

Co-development

Production

Delivery and logistics Digital services

To achieve this, Saint-Gobain is reinventing its methods, in particular by bringing in an ever-growing number of talents in software engineering and data expertise, or by deploying agile approaches through the testing of local solutions in proof of concept mode, some of which will then be rolled out over larger areas. Data and customer relationship 3.3.2.1 In the retail sector, Saint-Gobain’s digital platforms enable rapid digitalization of interactions with customers. This has significantly changed the structure of commercial relationships, with, for example, a three-fold increase in revenue generated through multi-channel marketing, and a 9% increase in the average shopping basket for the Dahl DK brand between 2019 and 2020; and an 18% increase in new customers for the French retail brand Point.P. All of the Group’s distribution brands are progressing towards an increasingly high share of online sales, reaching up to 100% in China. The deployment of advanced data analysis tools based on artificial intelligence – which allow a better understanding of the customer and therefore greater proximity to them – also enabled an increase in sales for the French retailers of Saint-Gobain as well as a profit margin improvement of 0.9 points for five of the Group’s distribution entities in France. In terms of the production of construction solutions, the implementation of customer relationship management (CRM) tools enables integration at all levels of the relationship. For example, glass façade project data is managed, and also shared internationally via a database that allows tracking of 6,000 projects worldwide. Data can also be shared between different entities to improve customer relations, and also operational excellence: in India, a common database of eight Saint-Gobain local entities makes it possible to share information across the board. Digital technology and supplier relations 3.3.2.2 Digital technology is also changing the way we interact with suppliers. Digitizing supplier processes means centralizing and automating the Purchasing Department.

Traditional tasks have been automated by means of electronic auctions, with the use of online tools. Campaigns to monitor suppliers’ e-reputation have also been undertaken, with significant outcomes, to identify potential problems and promote a policy of responsible purchasing.

3D, a driver of acceleration and 3.3.2.3 performance

3D continues to grow across all Saint-Gobain Business Units: it is now deployed on more than four continents, in the glass business as well as those dedicated to mobility, insulation, roofing and façades. The unique ability offered by three-dimensional visualization to model the properties and structure of the most complex materials, combined with data science to boost the marketing and product development approach, allows faster time to market. In particular, it has enabled the development of more than 50 new products in the roofing business in North America. In all stages of construction or renovation projects, the digital model, or Building Information Modeling (BIM), which offers an integrated vision of the building during all stages of its life cycle through a “digital twin”, modifies the very design of buildings, and allows custom parts to be cut in the factory, with customized deliveries on site. This technological revolution paves the way for an increase in the Group’s sales; it maximizes Saint-Gobain’s contribution to the productivity of its professional customers, with savings of up to 30% in terms of installation time, and also offers considerable room for improvement when it comes to minimizing their environmental footprint, with savings of up to 20% of waste produced during the installation phase, moving towards zero waste. Also during the construction phases, the deployment of sensors enables real-time monitoring of atmospheric conditions and improves site productivity, giving the customer the competitive advantage of reducing rework by up to 90%. Deployed in Canada, this technology has enabled the Group to achieve a penetration rate of over 80% in the provinces of British Columbia and Quebec. It is an outstanding example of know-how, which strengthens Saint-Gobain’s reputation as a solution provider.

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