Complete Vertical Integration

Saint-Gobain has over 50 years of experience in a broad range of high performance structural composites. This expertiese includes high performance polymers, structural reinforcements, enhancement fillers and related processes. Over 30 Saint-Gobain composite businesses worldwide, 6 global R&D facilities, and longstanding relationships with suppliers and academic institutions represent an exceptional composite knowledge base. This expertise can be focused to deliver exceptional structural composite solutions for your specific application needs.

This knowledge of structural composites includes base polymers, polymer formulations and structural reinforcements, where the Saint-Gobain SHEERGARD^® team has the ability to combine dissimilar materials to produce optimum performance.

The SHEERGARD^® team is able to create and deliver your product from start to finish through complete vertical integration. Vertical integration of all elements in the composite manufacturing process including yarn twisting/plying and weaving, polymer coating and casting and lamination; complete control over every aspect of the finished material.

This control is essential because even small changes in reinforcement construction, sizing and polymer selection, or manner of polymer application can result in significant improvements in the finished composite relating to structural integrity, strength, flex resistance, durability and length of service life. These small changes can include:

• Yarn detail such as sizing, twisting, plying and count
• Selections of specific coatings, combinations or amount of coating
• Penetration of coatings into the reinforcement and coating fillers
• The manner in which the coatings are applied such as dip coating, casting and several different types of lamination

All of these elements can be processed, controlled, tested and evaluated internally within Saint-Gobain. The result is an enhanced product with consistent performance characteristics.