1 Saint-Gobain Today Saint-Gobain’s DNA SAINT-GOBAIN UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT 2021 13 Saint-Gobain’s DNA 2. Major milestones in the construction of the Group 2.1 Saint-Gobain was founded in 1665 by Louis XIV, under ■ the name of the “Royal Manufacture of Mirrors”, in order to put an end to the technological and commercial supremacy of the Republic of Venice in the manufacturing of mirrors (1). Throughout the 19th century, Compagnie de ■ Saint-Gobain, which became a limited company in 1830, diversified its activities into sectors such as chemicals, glass products and the automotive industry. It quickly expanded into international markets, establishing itself in the United States in 1829, Germany in 1858 (2), Italy in 1888 and Spain in 1905. In 1970, the Group, which successfully overcame the ■ major crises of the century and invested heavily in research and development, withdrew from its chemical activities and merged with Pont-à-Mousson, created in 1856 and specializing in cast iron pipes. In 1986, the privatization of Saint-Gobain - which had ■ been nationalized in 1982 - was a huge popular success: 1,500,000 shareholders subscribed to the operation (3). In 1990, through the acquisition of Norton, the Group ■ doubled its presence in the United States, which opened up new markets and enabled it to develop its know-how in the areas of abrasives, plastics and ceramics. The acquisition of Poliet in 1996 provided the basis for ■ developing the distribution businesses. Saint-Gobain then continued its acquisitions in the world of construction materials trading. The acquisition in 2005 of British Plaster Board, the ■ global leader in plasterboard, was Saint-Gobain’s largest ever. Combined with Isover glass wool and its range of insulation solutions, it made Saint-Gobain the world leader in interior solutions. In 2007, Saint-Gobain focused its strategy on ■ sustainable housing, while continuing to serve many industrial markets and, thanks to its numerous locations, continued to expand in emerging countries. In 2019 and 2020, the Group implemented its ■ “Transform & Grow” plan, which aimed at establishing a new organization - by country and by market -, and to ensure an agile and value-creating portfolio management. In 2020, Saint-Gobain formulated its corporate ■ purpose, “Making the world a better home” (see below). In 2021, with the acquisition of Chryso and the ■ announcement of the acquisition of GCP Applied Technologies, Saint-Gobain would become a major player in the construction chemicals sector. In July 2021, the Group changed its governance, with ■ Benoit Bazin succeeding Pierre-André de Chalendar as Chief Executive Officer, the latter remaining Chairman of the Board of Directors (see this chapter, section 3.1). In October 2021, Saint-Gobain launched its “Grow & ■ Impact” strategic plan (see this chapter, section 3.2). At the end of 2021, the Group was present in ■ 75 countries (see this chapter, section 1.3.1). (1) Saint-Gobain archives - https://archives.Saint-Gobain.com/ressource/xviie/1665/1665-louis-xiv-fonde-la-manufacture-royale-des-glaces-miroirs-linstigation-de (2) Saint-Gobain archives - https://archives.Saint-Gobain.com/ressource/xixe/1858/1858-Saint-Gobain-affirme-sa-vocation-internationale (3) Saint-Gobain archives - https://archives.Saint-Gobain.com/ressource/xxe/1986/1986-le-pari-reussi-de-la-privatisation
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