News Release

Saint-Gobain Abrasives has developed and launched a newly redesigned web site for the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) and Professional Contractor Market featuring product information for your sanding, grinding and cutting needs. The web site offers Product Selection Guides to help DIYers choose the best product for their application, including project specific information and suggestions. You can also view video clips of the Norton products featured in the program Cool Tools on the DIY network. The URL is: www.nortonconsumer.com.

The newly redesigned site delivers many enhanced features and advantages for its users, from a clean and easy-to-navigate format to product detail links and powerful document management for easy access to application and safety information. Visitors are sure to find all of the abrasive products necessary to assist in their next home improvement or renovation project.

• Improved Look and Feel – Enhanced graphics, easy-to-read information, modern design and clean page layouts provide visitors with an overall improved user experience.
• Improved Navigation – Web pages are intuitive and consistent, making it simple for visitors to find the information they are looking for through improved navigation technology tools that not only allow users to navigate easily, but provide them with a user interface to recognize where they are within the web site.
• New Features – Additional features on the web site include print-friendly web pages with better content, news and events notices with Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, increased application information, improved search features, innovative new products, tiered product performance indicators, enhanced product images, the company's 2009 downloadable and a fully searchable eCatalog and much more.
• Merchandising solutions for abrasive retailers designed to help them showcase key "best sets" and provide a blueprint of the best selling products for each abrasive category in easy-to-shop layouts to help visualize and tailor Norton products according to consumer preference.
• The web site also educates end-users on Saint-Gobain's global commitment of environmental sustainability.

For ease of use and familiarity the web pages are divided into product sections that correspond to the new 2009 Norton DIY catalog. Visitors can download the 2009 eCatalog, images and product flyers directly from the web site for a detailed product overview, as well as information on products for specific applications or to find a product by UPC number. For all available Norton DIY literature, the site offers access to the Literature Request form from any screen. Visitors can use the web site's search tool to find a complete listing of information on exact products by name, unique UPC number, or to locate product specifications and details, and FAQs.

With Norton's long-standing commitment to excellence in the innovation of abrasives manufacturing, high quality, product innovation, technology advancements and superior customer service, visitors can continue to look for increased enhancements to the web site throughout 2009.

About Norton DIY/Contractor Market

Norton is a brand of Saint-Gobain Abrasives, a division of Saint-Gobain. With more than 1,000 subsidiaries in 57 countries, Saint-Gobain is the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of building materials, and a leader in the production of high performance materials and glass containers. Founded in 1665 and headquartered in Paris, Saint-Gobain had worldwide sales of $64.4 billion in 2008 and employs approximately 212,000 people. In the United States and Canada, Saint-Gobain employs approximately 22,000 people, and had sales of $8.1 billion in 2008. Saint-Gobain's web site is www.saintgobain.com.
http://www.nortonconsumer.com

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Denise Linn
denise.m.linn@saint-gobain.com
http://www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com