• Saint-Gobain Group
• Saint-Gobain Flat Glass Division
• Saint-Gobain Sekurit Automotive Glazing
• Saint-Gobain Sekurit Transport Division
• Saint-Gobain Autover

Saint-Gobain Sekurit Automotive Glazing

Key figures

Saint-Gobain is present in the automotive glazing industry with Saint-Gobain Sekurit. As a worldwide automotive glazing supplier, Saint-Gobain Sekurit has solid industrial and commercial presence in 22 countries with over 12, 800 employees operating in 3 markets:

• manufacturers or OEM supply
• automotive replacement glazing or ARG (aftermarket)
• transport (heavy vehicles, buses, aeronautics…)

Saint-Gobain Sekurit is one of the top 3 glazing manufacturers in the world. In Europe, one out of two cars is equipped with Saint-Gobain Sekurit's glazing.

Some examples in which R&D are strongly involved:

• Safety Vision Heatable glazing, water-repellent, HUD…
• Security Laminated side glass, films, alarm prints
• Comfort Solar protection, Laminated side glass
• Glass shapes, Complex shapes, optical simulations
• Weight reduction, Glass thickness, plastic glazing
• Body integration, Encapsulated, extruded or preassembled
• Communication Sensors, antennas

Activities

The history of Glass began in 1699 when Saint-Gobain equipped the first 'vehicle' that belonged to Mansart, the architect of Louis XIV. From the beginning of the twentieth century to present day, innovation has always been Saint-Gobain Sekurit's primary concern.
Automotive glazing innovations pioneered by Saint-Gobain Sekurit include:

Nowadays, innovation is becoming increasingly important and must consider new market trends, while respecting the manufacturer's requirements. The international teams of researchers are working in 3 core areas:

• New materials, new functions, new forms
• Creating ready-to-mount/ready-to-dismantle
• Controlling continuous environmental incidences

Glazing surfaces

In 40 years, the surface area of glazing per vehicle has doubled. During this period, glazing has significantly advanced both in technical functionality and complexity of forms. Attentive to motorists' expectations and car manufacturers needs, Saint-Gobain Sekurit has created new solutions that provide end-users with optimal vision, better comfort (thermal, acoustic, atmospheric), and a better level of safety and security.

Some automotive glass applications

The windshield is the prime element in active automotive safety. Hydrophobic heating and anti-reflective functions improve visibility. Other options provide heat protection. Antennas can also be incorporated in the windshield

The glazed roof brings more light and a feeling of freedom to the passengers. The increasingly panoramic glazed roof can be tinted or incorporate an electrochromic system.

The back window can be supplied with tinted, dark tinted glass or an IR reflective layer for heat protection. Equipped with hydrophobic and/or heating treatment, a higher level of visual comfort is obtained. The back windows can be produced in laminated glazing and antennas can also be incorporated.

Front side windows: laminated glazing improves safety/security and acoustic comfort. When combined with tinted or IR reflecting glazing, laminated side windows can also provide heat protection and visibility can be improved with hydrophobic treatment.

Rear side windows: privacy and thermal comfort of rear passengers can be improved by using dark tinted glass. Antennas can be incorporated in the side glazing.

Facilities

Addresses

Europe

Americas

Asia

Brand name policy

Product families

Saint-Gobain Sekurit Names

Generic Name

Pictogram

SGS Visual Comfort

SGS AQUACONTROL®

Hydrophobic glazing

SGS Visual Comfort

SGS REFLEXCONTROL®

Antireflective glazing

SGS Visual Comfort

SGS ICECONTROL®Coating
SGS ICECONTROL®Wires

Hydrophobic glazing

SGS Thermal Comfort

SGS THERMOCONTROL ® R eflecting
SGS THERMOCONTROL® Absorbing
SGS THERMOCONTROL® Venus

Heat reflecting glazing
Heat absorbing glazing
Dark-tail glazing

SGS Acoustic Comfort

SGS dBCONTROL ®

Acoustic glazing

SGS Atmospheric Comfort

SGS LIGHTUNING®
SGS THERMOCONTROL® Venus

Electrochromic glazing
Dark-tail glazing

SGS Integrated Systems

SGS TENNAFIT®

Integrated antenna

SGS Safety & Security

SGS GLOBALPROTECT®

Laminated Glazing
Laminated Side Glazing

Innovative functional glazing products

Visual comfort & Thermal comfort

Hydropbobic glazing (SGS AQUACONTROL®): a treatment on the glazing facilitates water droplet consolidation. These droplets are evacuated by the stream of air generated by the movement of the vehicle. All glass surfaces can be equipped. Benefits are various:

• improves driving comfort and safety
• facilitates the automatic evacuation of rain and reduces use of windshield wipers
• limits the adhesion of exterior elements (mud, insects)
• facilitates window cleaning

Antireflecting glazing (SGS REFLEXCONTROL®): windshield slopes have increased, which intensifies dashboard reflection thus hampering the driver's direct vision. Saint-Gobain Sekurit has developed an anti-reflection coating which significantly reduces this problem. In addition, designers benefit from greater freedom in choosing dashboard colours and materials.

Heatable glazing: between two sheets of glass, the filaments (SGS ICECONTROL® Wires) or even a metallic layer (SGS ICECONTROL® Coating), are perfectly invisible in heatable glazing. Frost or mist quickly disappears without using the ventilation. All glass surfaces can be equipped. Benefits: good visibility and fast demisting and defrosting

Heat reflecting glazing (SGS THERMOCONTROL® Reflecting): this is laminated glazing onto which a coating is applied. This coating reflects the infrared rays. It can be used for any laminated glazing. Benefits: reduces high temperatures and limits the need for air conditioning and therefore reduces energy consumption.

Heat absorbing glazing : this glass is tinted (SGS THERMOCONTROL® Absorbing) or dark tinted (SGS THERMOCONTROL® Venus) in the mass. It reduces the transmission of solar energy by absorbing infrared rays. The tinted glass, for regulatory reasons, is only available for rear side windows, roof, and backlites. Benefits:

• limits high temperatures inside the car
• improves comfort for passengers who are exposed to the sun
• dark tinted glass provides a feeling of privacy (protection from outside glances)

Acoustic comfort

Acoustic glazing (SGS dBCONTROL®): This Saint-Gobain Sekurit innovation improves the performance of laminated glazing by employing an acoustic interlayer. The acoustic PVB is a plastic film that significantly reduces the transmission of 'high frequency' and 'low frequency 'noises, which provide the highest passenger disturbance.

Atmospheric comfort

Electrochromic glazing (SGS LIGHTUNING®): for roofs and large pavilions. Electrochromic glazing, one of Saint-Gobain Sekurit's latest innovations that guarantees the level of thermal comfort you desire. In the near future, electrochromic glazing will also be available for all back windows, giving passengers the ability to regulate the level of privacy of the vehicle interior at will (see without being seen!).
Thanks to its lower light transmission and the privacy that it offers, tinted or dark-tinted glazing is also a good solution for atmospheric comfort, especially for dark-tails and sunroofs (SGS THERMOCONTROL® Venus). It can be used for any laminated glazing

Safety and Security (SGS GLOBALPROTECT®)

Ejection mitigation: laminated glass has been required for windshields since the beginning of the eighties. It consists of two panes of glass joined by a sheet of high quality plastic (PVB). During an accident, the glass will crack but it will remain intact, diminishing the risk of ejection outside of the vehicle. Today, laminated glazing can be applied to all glass surfaces.

Antitheft properties: Laminated glass also diminishes the risks of burglary. By increasing the time needed to break the window, this equipment helps reduce vandalism, theft of objects installed in the car and vehicle theft.

Innovative modular glazing

Extrusion

Saint-Gobain Sekurit developed and industrialized the technique of directly extruding a profile on glass. This extrusion improves vehicle aerodynamics and acoustics. In addition, the flush aspect of the glazing with the bodywork enhances vehicle aesthetics. The glazing module is "ready-to-mount" and only requires a few operations before integration on car bodies.

Encapsulation

Saint-Gobain Sekurit is the only glass-maker who masters the encapsulation techniques with all the different materials available on today's market. The glass frame can be accurately designed to suit the car maker's constraints to assemble the glazing on the car body. The glass frame enhances the vehicle's design and can provide a flush surface between the glass and the body.

Preassembly

Preassembly is another service offered by Saint-Gobain Sekurit for incorporating components and functions on a glass pane. A large diversity of components can be preassembled on glass, either manually or using automated equipment. Preassembly is complementary with extrusion and encapsulation to provide ready-to-mount glazing modules.

Antenna (SGS TENNAFIT®)

Today's multiplication of communication systems in a vehicle such as radios, TVs, telephones, GPS... requires specific antennas that can lead to a cluster of externally protruding antenna rods. Fortunately, the dielectric properties of glass make it an excellent support to integrate antennas that boast excellent reception qualities while allowing stylish vehicle designs and avoid breakage of antenna rods.

Saint-Gobain Sekurit Main Customers

BMW, DaimlerChrysler (Mercedes, Chrysler), General Motors (Opel, Saab, Daewoo, GM, Isuzu), Fiat (Alfa-Romeo, Lancia, Ferrari, Fiat), Ford (Ford, Jaguar, Volvo, Mazda), Honda, Hyundai, Karmann, Kia, Matra, Mitsubishi, Porsche, PSA (Peugeot, Citroen), Renault (Renault, Nissan, Samsung), Suzuki, Toyota, VW (VW, Audi, Seat, Rolls Royce, Skoda), Inalfa, Webasto, Arvin Meritor.