On 30 June 2005, Saint-Gobain Oberland, a German subsidiary of the Saint-Gobain Group, signed an agreement for the sale of its glass blocks business to the Italian group Seves. Its products, sold unde…
On 30 June 2005, Saint-Gobain Oberland, a German subsidiary of the Saint-Gobain Group, signed an agreement for the sale of its glass blocks business to the Italian group Seves. 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 the business in 2004 amounted to EUR 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. The 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 the acquisition, and implement new synergies to ensure international growth.