Compagnie St-Gobain - Acquisition

RNS No 9859v
COMPAGNIE DE SAINT-GOBAIN
11th January 1999

                      LAPEYRE GROUP IN POLAND

LAPEYRE, a 75%-owned subsidiary of the SAINT-GOBAIN Group, has acquired a
controlling interest in ERG-OKFENS, a Polish group including the following
companies:

- ERG, Poland's leading producer of PVC window profiles, which operates a
  production plant near Katowice.

- OKFENS, Poland's largest producer of PVC windows, which has two plants, one
  near Katowice and the other one near Warsaw.

ERG-OKFENS had estimated 1998 sales of around FRF 230 million (euros 35
million) and a high profitability, which should have an immediately positive
impact on LAPEYRE's consolidated earnings in 1999.  It employs 580 people.

The acquisition represents the first stage in LAPEYRE's expansion in Poland, a
country where the renovation and new building markets both offer strong growth
potential.  The combination of LAPEYRE's and ERG-OKFENS's expertise will enable
the LAPEYRE Group to become a leading player in these markets.

Lapeyre - Investor Relations
Patrick MALLET - Jean-FRANCOIS CORBINEAU
Tel + 33(0)1 48 11 74 14
Fax + 33(0)1 43 52 64 46

END

ACQBBMFBLLABBAL