Rigips has been celebrating 15 years in the market of drywall and polystyrene insulation

Rigips Company has now entered its 15th year in the construction market. From a newly established company in 1991, Rigips has become one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of drywall, polystyrene insulation, and gypsum plasters in the Czech Republic, with a turnover of 1,350 million CZK and approximately 230 employees.

“The company's direction is gradually evolving according to the needs of our customers – from product-based to system sales and project solutions,” comments Mr. Richard Teplý, the CEO of Rigips, adding “Since the beginning of my involvement in 2005, I have seen the company's potential primarily in its innovative approach and the search for solutions that save our partners both time and money. We want to deliver to customers not just the quality systems and products they expect, but even to surprise them.”

“As a leader in our field, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of the application of dry construction, polystyrene insulation, and gypsum plasters into other areas of construction. To always be one step ahead,” adds Mr. Teplý . “And I am pleased to say that we have already demonstrated this with our results over these 15 years of operation. With the effort and motivation of our people in the company, I believe we will also achieve our new plans.”

Mr. Pavel Šatný, the Sales Director, adds “Among the important moments of our presence in the market, I highlight the introduction of new construction systems in the area of dry construction and their application in new market segments – for example, security partitions made of drywall or fiberboard in residential construction, pink fire-resistant drywall recognizable for building supervisors, in the area of polystyrene insulation – socle and drainage boards Perimetr, as well as new generation insulators, gray polystyrene NeoFloor and Greywall, which radically increase the insulating efficiency of polystyrene and where the meaning of our investments in research has been proven. And last but not least, the reintroduction of manually applied gypsum plasters and fillers Rimano to our market. We aspire to revive an old trend in the area of finishing interior walls with gypsum plasters, which was very popular during the First Republic, and to bring it into a modern context.”

The Marketing Director, Ms. Martina Říhová, adds: “In terms of our company's focus on customer services, I would like to highlight new projects such as new technical literature for dry construction with a differentiated group of users – designers, as well as installation and implementing companies. We have taken another significant step in our orientation towards small builders and DIY enthusiasts – the newly published book Drywall We Can Handle Ourselves, step-by-step procedures – has become the best-selling book at the For Arch 2006 trade fair.
But we are not just stopping at books; a major new project with a planned start on January 1, 2007, is the Technical Support Center. New information and technical consulting, call center, all in one place. Of course, with VIP services for selected customers and partners.
A significant shift towards communication with our partners and customers has been the launch of the RigipsPlus program to strengthen brand loyalty and product sales. In a year and a half of existence, it has clearly demonstrated its effectiveness and meaningfulness for more than 1,400 members, resulting in 30-40% of turnover being realized through this distribution channel.”

“We believe that practice best verifies our construction systems, and therefore I am pleased that our products have been validated on a number of significant industrial constructions, such as the ČSOB Headquarters in Prague with the largest green roof in Europe (12 ha), the City Multipurpose Hall and the completion of the stadium complex in Liberec (winner of the 'Building of the Year 2006' award), the Ruzyně Airport terminal, one of the most modern multifunctional complexes in Prague, Luxembourg Plaza, and also on numerous residential buildings and family homes, such as the Palmova Lofty residential building with security drywall partitions, and the multipurpose residential complex Veronské náměstí in Prague with 354 apartments and a 13-story tower.”, concludes Mr. Richard Teplý.

Thanks to significant investment on a "greenfield," Rigips was able to produce its first drywall in May 1999 at the manufacturing plant in Horní Počaply near Mělník. This plant was established in the spirit of modern technology using proven production management methods and innovative technologies, and due to continuous development, it has become a world-class manufacturing facility.
In 2001-2002, two plants for foam polystyrene production were integrated into Rigips. Gypsum plaster and fillers became part of the product portfolio in 2003. All plants produce products of the highest world quality comparable to leading European manufacturers and meet the new standards introduced in the EU. A strong emphasis on compliance with environmental protection standards and a safety management system according to 22 standards has already borne fruit – the plant in H. Počaply celebrated 5 years without injury during the production and distribution of drywall and the accident rate across the company has decreased by 85% over 6 years.

As part of its membership in the multinational corporation, Rigips has become not only a significant domestic manufacturer with access to global know-how but also an exporter, as approximately 1/5 of its turnover is realized in Central and Southeastern European countries.

And a brief summary of Rigips' history to conclude:

---

> Rigips invests in a logistics center and plans a new manufacturing plant (.pdf, 240 KB)

> Rigips - a significant domestic producer and exporter (.pdf, 417 KB)

---

About Rigips, s.r.o.

Rigips, s.r.o. is a member of the Saint-Gobain group, which, as a world manufacturer and distributor, processes raw materials (glass, ceramics, plastics, cast iron, etc.) into modern products for everyday life and develops materials for the future.
The origins of Saint-Gobain date back to France in the 17th century; a century and a half later, Saint-Gobain crossed the borders of France. Today, it operates in more than 50 countries around the world, grouping 1,200 companies and employing more than 200,000 people of 70 nationalities.
Saint-Gobain, a European and global leader in all its business sectors, belongs to the top hundred industrial corporations worldwide.

In the Czech Republic, Rigips has a fifteen-year tradition. In its three manufacturing plants, it produces products of the highest world quality comparable to leading European manufacturers and meets the new standards introduced in the EU. Thanks to its affiliation with the Saint-Gobain group, which allocates approximately 345 million EUR for research and development each year, Rigips utilizes know-how from around the world and is therefore excellently prepared to meet the wishes and requirements of its customers.

> www.rigips.cz

---

The Big Book of Drywall by Rigips

> more information

Installation Manual for Drywall Installers

> more information

Drywall We Can Handle Ourselves

> more information