Re Partnership Agreement

RNS Number:3231P
Compagnie de Saint-Gobain
11 August 2000



                      LAPEYRE-TELHANORTE PARTNERSHIP:
          A NEW LINE OF GROWTH FOR SAINT-GOBAIN BUILDING DISTRIBUTION

At the beginning of August, the Lapeyre Group signed a majority partnership
agreement with Telhanorte, the number 2 in Brazil for the distribution of
building materials.

This Company has 9 sites in the state of Sao Paulo and employs 1200 people.  75%
of sales are generated in the tile business and 15% in joinery.  In the past few
years it has enjoyed a dynamic growth that has been fully financed by its own
results.

Thanks to Lapeyre and Saint-Gobain Building distribution support, this
partnership, that will include only 5 sites, will enhance customer service
and develop the distribution network geographically.

Sales for the business should reach 200 million euros in 2001. The impact have a
positive effect on Lapeyre results in 2000.

The Brazilian market is very interesting since it has just begun to work hard on
its structure and has favourable prospects for the long term, due essentially to
demographic growth and an improvement in the standard of living.

LAPEYRE - Investor Relations Department
          Patrick Mallett
          Tel: [phone]
          Fax: [phone]