Innovating in distribution
In line with all Saint-Gobain’s industrial activities, the Group’s Building Distribution is constantly innovating on the new building, renovation and major home improvements markets.
Always striving to keep its products in line with changing needs and new customer bases, Saint-Gobain Building Distribution develops new offerings and services in its various retail businesses, transposing its successes from one country to another, adapting them as necessary and also introducing new distribution concepts.
These innovations include:
POINT.P outlets with the “terrace and landscape” label
POINT.P has developed a new product offering to meet garden and landscape layout needs. Over 120 POINT.P outlets have now been awarded the “terrace and landscape” label.
Greenworks – the first sales outlet in the UK dedicated to renewable energies
Greenworks sells solar heat collectors, solar power panels, heat pumps, wind turbines, Unico heating, cooling systems, rainwater collectors and biomass boilers.
At its premises offering an information area for professionals, a small showroom and a product warehouse, Greenworks organises training sessions for professionals focusing on the characteristics of “renewable energy” products which demand specialised knowledge and expertise.
The Building Platform – exporting an innovation
Saint-Gobain launched its Building Platform concept in 1998, to keep pace with the constantly growing number of small urban renovation sites and multi-talented general tradesmen looking for quick service and guaranteed product availability. It was created around a product offering designed to meet the essential, everyday needs of urban tradesmen, with all items immediately available at fixed and competitive prices. This concept has subsequently been extended to over 10 countries, adapted to meet each one’s particular needs.
La Maîson – meeting Chinese market needs
Saint-Gobain has chosen to open its first Chinese store in Shanghai, to meet the needs of Chinese homeowners. It uses a brand new concept, known as La Maîson, a format designed to provide everything needed to turn any apartment or house into a home.
Aquamondo – a new retail concept
In 2006, to meet the demands of the rapidly growing bathroom market, Saint-Gobain launched a new concept dedicated to the world of bathrooms. In addition to a comprehensive and selective product offering that customers could easily understand, it also provided an efficient and reassuring service offering. Two types of stores are now being developed – megastores on town outskirts and smaller boutiques in town centres.
