Saint-Gobain Oberland sells its glass blocks business to the Seves Group

Its products, sold under the Solaris brand, are used in the construction industry, and particularly in contemporary interior and exterior architecture. The business is located at the Wirges plant in Germany, which is equipped with a furnace and four production lines used solely for manufacturing glass blocks, notably colored and fireproof blocks. Total sales for this business in 2004 amounted to €24.4 million. The business will now be managed by Solaris GmbH, a new subsidiary of the Seves Group whose name reflects the commercial brand.

By selling its glass blocks activity, Saint-Gobain Oberland will concentrate on its core business, namely the manufacture and sale of glass containers for the food-processing industry.

This acquisition enables the Seves group to expand its product range and strengthen its position as world leader in glass block production. The buyer is also planning to put the weight of its R&D behind this business, and implement new synergies to ensure international growth.