sain t-gobain annu al report 2008 annual report

The “Germ-free Surfaces” program is now fully up and
running and will allow us to swiftly align existing solutions
with the specifications of the antimicrobial resistance
directive and the REACH directive.
Advances were made during the year under the “Innovative
Furnace and Glass” program to reduce energy consumption
and CO 2 emissions. Research has thrown up several promising
solutions, including improved melting techniques and better
use of the energy produced during the cycle. A new possibility
is also being explored, consisting of the use of synthetic
gas obtained from biomass.
Work under the “Physico-Chemical Properties of Building
Materials” program has led to the identification of research
areas to be stepped up or developed in the various businesses
concerned. For example, several research projects on the
formulation of cement applications concern the Industrial
Mortars business, the Exterior Fittings business in the
United States and Brazil, the Pipe business and Point.P.
In light of the importance of this issue, it will be the subject
of a specific program.
The new “Acoustic” program got off to a rapid start, with
potential benefits for several businesses, including Gypsum,
Industrial Mortars, Flat Glass and Textile Solutions.
For example, a high-performance sound absorbing
plasterboard has been developed for the Gypsum Division.
Three new cross-functional programs will be launched
in 2009, dealing with “Fire Prevention Solutions”,
“Formulation of Cement Applications” and “Building Skin
Thermodynamics”.
International Research
and Development cooperation programs
Several new partners joined the Saint-Gobain University
Network (SUN) in 2008. A formal agreement was signed
with the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras,
the contract with Harvard University was renewed to include
a new research topic, and initiatives were launched
with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
and the University of California. However, the highlight
of the year was the signature of an agreement with Japan’s
National Institute for Materials Science in Tsukuba.
Saint-Gobain is only the second non-Japanese company
to be given the opportunity to cooperate with this prestigious
establishment, after Rolls Royce. Lecturer and student
exchanges have already taken place within the SUN network,
through the Ecole Supérieure de Physique et de Chimie
Industrielles (ESPCI) / École Polytechnique chair created
last year.
Partnerships with promising start-ups
The initial objective set with the NOVA External Venturing
team in 2007 has been comfortably met. After a period
devoted to identifying and selecting promising start-ups,
we looked at ways of supporting them. A total of ten
agreements have now been signed, covering arrangements
ranging from joint research partnerships (with Brochier,
Bluglass, Solaria and SRS) to integration of the start-up into
an existing business (case of Green Glue) and marketing
partnerships (with Apex and Systaic). New start-ups are
regularly being identified and our growing experience
of negotiating mutually beneficial agreements is helping
to reduce the time taken for the partnerships
to come to fruition.
The “Innovation Habitat” program
Following on from the creation of mixed Research
and Development and Marketing teams in 2007, last year
was devoted to structuring the habitat and construction and
renovation businesses. The new Innovation Habitat Committee
made up of these businesses’ Research and Development
and Marketing directors provided a forum for the joint
development of an original innovation portfolio model.
Research was launched into different construction techniques
and the related insulation methods, in cooperation with the
Strategic Planning department. With the help of the Techno-
Marketing team, an overview of the markets in the main
countries was developed using all the data collected by the
various businesses. The approach’s benefits were validated
by the newly created Corporate Marketing Department,
putting the coordination process on a truly professional
footing. In future, meetings of the Innovation Habitat
Committee will be co-chaired by Corporate Marketing.
The first topic addressed in 2009 will be exterior insulation
methods. In the same spirit, an Innovation Habitat Newsletter
has been launched, with the first three issues published
in 2008. The newsletter’s aim is to inform and enthuse
the entire Innovation community (particularly Research
and Development and Marketing). Going forward,
it will be managed jointly with the new Corporate
Marketing Department.
STRATEGY AND BUSINESSES
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Saint-Gobain - 2008 Annual Report