In October 1665, Louis XIV signed the Letters Patent, thereby officially creating the Manufacture des Glaces de Miroirs (Royal Manufactory of Mirror Glass) in Paris, one of 25 royal manufactories founded that year. This royal manufactory developed a revolutionary procedure that involved casting glass on a metal table, a product which soon soared in popularity among the royal order and general population alike.
By the end of the 17th Century, the Manufacture des Glaces de Miroirs opened its main production site in a small village in the northeastern part of the Kingdom from which it would later take its name: Saint-Gobain. Today, Saint-Gobain is one of the oldest manufacturing companies in the world still in operation.
In the 1960s, after several joint ventures, Saint-Gobain opened long-term offices in the United States after merging with CertainTeed, establishing Saint-Gobain North America.
Over the last 350 years, Saint-Gobain has survived revolution, two world wars, nationalization and two global pandemics, all while growing as worldwide company. Below, please see some resources to learn more about Saint-Gobain’s long history.
Saint-Gobain Archives: https://archives.saint-gobain.com/explorer-les-collections/chronologie.
Saint-Gobain History: https://www.saint-gobain.com/en/group/our-history
Saint-Gobain North America History: https://www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com/company/saint-gobain-north-america/history
