The Saint-Gobain Group is a multinational group of companies, founded in 1665 in Paris. It is focused on the construction material markets, with the aim of advancing possibilities for the construction of residential and commercial buildings, energy savings and sustainable development
We will invest even more in production capacities and expanding our range. We want to become a market leader thanks to our innovative solutions and services based on the winning combination of top local knowledge and international experience, announces company Weber.
The Saint-Gobain Group has existed for over 350 years and has been present in Serbia since 2002, with two factories and over 100 employees. What did the development path of your company look like?
The group started operations as a manufacturer of mirrors, while it is today engaged in the design, production and distribution of various construction and high-performance materials used in many industries. Since its establishment to this day, the basic aspects of the Group’s development have been inventiveness and innovation. As one of the world’s 100 most innovative companies, the Saint-Gobain Group collaborates with world-renowned universities and research centres, all with the aim of constantly improving its products.
The Group is today among the world’s leading industrial groups, operating in 68 countries and with more than 180,000 employees and sales revenues of 42.6 billion euros in 2019. Proof of its constant technological development is the fact that one of the Group’s four products didn’t even exist until five years ago. The group protects an average of around 400 patents per year, while the annual budget of its research and development sector total approximately 1.85 billion euros.
The Weber company became part of the international Saint-Gobain Group in 1996 and was itself founded in France in 1900. Weber operates in 68 countries around the world. The Saint-Gobain Group is today represented in Serbia by three subsidiaries: Isover, Rigips and Weber, with over 100 employees. The majority of employees work on Weber activity.
What distinguishes your products from the offers of competing companies, and there are undoubtedly ever more of them?
The main characteristic of all solutions offered by Weber is top quality, as a result of many years of market experience. Innovation is also a very important point in the strategy of Weber and Saint-Gobain. Our group invests constantly in research and development. We offer customers on the local market solutions that have been developed and applied in other countries where Weber operates, such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey and many more. Utilising our vast international experience, we operate locally, with an absolute understanding of customers’ needs and requirements. We are the perfect example of the philosophy “think globally, act locally”.
We’re currently the only company in the sector in this region to have two production facilities
In line with the digital transformation process that has entered every pore of our lives and businesses, you have created the Weber – majstorica app. Can you tell us a little more about that?
“Weber – majstorica” is the first application of its type on our market. We developed it because we want to connect more with master tradesmen on the markets of Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina who use our materials every day. The speed of exchanging information between producers and users, as well as the preparation of proposals for improvements based on information collected, is the starting point for all successful cooperation.
Our aim is to continue working to improve the “Weber – majstorica” app and to increase the number of its users, all in order to better satisfy the needs of our customers. The “E-Study” digital tool is in the final stage of development, which will enable our users to visualise the appearance of a facade in a photographic image of their building, in order to ease the process of deciding on the choice of material.
Your strategy is to continue your strong growth in the region, to invest in production capacities and expand the product range. How much will you rely on your own capacities in doing that, and how much on the fact that you are part of a large and powerful French company?
Almost all of our products are made in Serbia. In Serbia we offer solutions for facades, ceramics adhesives, grouts, interior smooth plasters, paints for interiors and facades, as well as products for floors. We import items from the Rigips, Isover, Adfors, Glass, Abrasives and Ecophone production programmes from our factories in Europe. In line with the Group’s global strategy, we’re focused on energy saving, environmental protection and CO2 reduction.
Given that Saint-Gobain construction materials Ltd. Belgrade is supported by an international group, its financial security enables us to grow quickly and efficiently. Our goal is to become a reliable partner on the local market in all of our strategic activities.