sain t-gobain annu al report 2008 annual report

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The Ceramics unit comprises four businesses:
In the value chain, the Grains & Powders business comes just
after the production of silica and zirconium sands, bauxite
and other mineral raw materials. Saint-Gobain is the world
leader (1) in the purification, crushing, melting and sintering of
these materials. It sells high-value suspensions and powders
for the ceramics industry (through the Silicon Carbide unit),
aluminum oxide and zirconium oxide abrasive grains, and
finished products. Typical products include pigment powders
for home ceramic tiles and proppants used to enhance oil
reservoir recovery rates.
The global market leader (1) in Ceramics, Saint-Gobain serves
a wide range of industries with products that deliver
the remarkable properties of high-performance ceramics, such
as exceptional mechanical strength, hardness, heat resistance,
controlled porosity, and light weight. Two examples of
applications are diesel particulate filters and glass furnaces.
The latter are made with refractory ceramics that are
particularly sophisticated, especially in furnaces that produce
specialty glass for flat screen displays. Refractory ceramics are
also used in the steel industry. In addition to exercising
leadership in these traditional markets, we have also launched
ambitious development projects to address emerging
challenges.
Abrasives is another business in which Saint-Gobain leads
the world (1) , thanks to its expertise in the ceramic grains
on which most abrasive products are based. Saint-Gobain
Abrasives covers the entire spectrum of abrasives, providing
expertise and solutions at every process stage, from slabbing
and cutting to polishing, grinding and surface-finishing.
The markets served are also wide-ranging, including
construction and homebuilding (from rough cutting of
concrete walls and floors to sanding of wooden floors and
polishing for decorative finishes), heavy industry (in steelworks
and paper mills), and manufacturing and high-tech industries
(automotive, aerospace and electronics). Innovation is a key
factor in this business, driving the development of increasingly
efficient and reliable products that are easier to use and longer
lasting. In 2008, a new plant came on stream at Shuzhou,
China, strengthening our position in the industrial and
construction abrasives markets, both of which are
experiencing double-digit growth in China.
Crystals are used in many advanced technologies for their
optoelectronic and other unique properties. For example,
crystals are used to make light-emitting diodes (LEDs), a highly
energy-efficient lighting solution for the future that we are
actively helping to develop by supplying sapphire substrates
and gallium nitride. Major contracts have also been won in the
security sector, for the scintillation crystals used in X-ray gates,
and a new line of medical imaging crystals has been
developed, which enable the earlier detection of disorders.
Thanks to Performance Plastics, the High-Performance
Materials Division has developed considerable technological
expertise in the production of polymers delivering such
remarkable properties as high-temperature resistance,
chemical stability and purity, and special mechanical
and surface properties. As such, they are in high demand for
a broad range of new applications in the automotive,
aerospace, healthcare and construction industries.
One example is the architectural membranes made of
fluoropolymer-coated glass fabric, which are now widely
used in major construction projects for their robustness,
light weight, ultra-violet resistance, soil resistance, and
acoustic correction capabilities. The Performance Plastics
business comprises three units: Composites (films, foams and
coated fabrics for construction and industry), Bearings & Seals
(for the automotive and aerospace industries), and Fluid
Control Systems (for the healthcare and electronics industries).
In 2008, the business acquired Green Glue, a manufacturer of
visco-elastic soundproofing materials.
The Textile Solutions business makes and sells glass fiber
yarns and fabrics, chiefly for construction and homebuilding
applications. We operate in some of the most buoyant
segments of these markets, with groundbreaking solutions
such as glass fabrics for façade insulation, a technique
increasingly used in Europe for renovation work and new
buildings. Another example of development work is the range
of paintable glass fabrics, a simple, elegant interior decoration
solution that Saint-Gobain has further enhanced with acoustic
correction capabilities.
Saint-Gobain - 2008 Annual Report
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Source Saint-Gobain.