An innovative insulation supplier70 years of innovation
The pioneering era
Since the early twentieth century, the French glass industry has experienced a technical and industrial revolution. Nowadays, glass groups cover the whole spectrum of this industry. Importing ideas and new technology from the United States, Eugène Gentil introduced a diversification policy at Saint-Gobain. The group’s adventure in fibreglass started in the thirties and rapidly reached a vast scale. The war put a stop to this initial impetus and encouraged Saint-Gobain to develop its own process.
1926
Creation of the société d’études verrières appliquées or SEVA, at Chalon-sur-Saône (France). In charge of designing and maintaining machines at the brand new Saint-Gobain bottle making plant, SEVA rapidly became the Group’s “mechanic”. It also supplied fibre disks used to make glasswool.
1930
Maatschappij tot Beheer en Exploitatie van Octrooien, a Dutch company jointly owned by Saint-Gobain and the Bicheroux family, bought rights on the Hager process and filed the patent in Germany. It was Saint-Gobain’s first step in the fibreglass industry.
1932
American glass manufacturer, Owens-Illinois, invented an industrial fibreglass process by blowing onto a drum. This new method was much better than existing systems in Europe in terms of fibre quality and productivity. Saint-Gobain rapidly bought the rights and launched into insulation.
1936 - 1938
Within two years, the Saint-Gobain group had built a glasswool production plant. It bought out Glasswatte in Germany and Soie de Verre in Soissons, France. Isover was thus founded. This new company then bought a factory in Rantigny to produce “textile” fibre.
1937
The agreement between Saint-Gobain and Owens-Corning was finally sealed in New York. The signatories gained access to the Gossler, Owens and Hager processes for insulation as well as Owens and Corning processes for textiles. Technical upgrades were immediately circulated. The “pool” was born.
1948 - 1950
Establishment of Société d’Études pour le Développement de la Fibre de Verre, or Sodefive. This entity was set up to provide technical and sales support to all Hager licence holders. It soon provided this support for TEL licence holders, creating a genuine “club” until its dissolution in 1997.
