Author: sHq_LoGiNz

Malvern, PA – Thursday, January 15, 2026 /3BL/ – Saint-Gobain is proud to announce it has been recognized by the Top Employers Institute as a Global Top Employer 2026, a distinction the company has held for 11 consecutive years in recognition of its commitment to fostering a strong and welcoming workplace for all. The company is one of only 17 organizations worldwide to achieve the prestigious Certification, demonstrating excellence in care for employees across its global operations. This renowned distinction also extends to Saint-Gobain’s operations in the North America region, in both the United States and Canada.

“It is with great honor and pride that we receive this important international recognition. While we celebrate this achievement for the eleventh year in a row, we do not take it for granted and we continue to work relentlessly every day to foster a workplace culture where all can thrive,” highlights Magda Dexter, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Communications, Saint-Gobain North America. “At Saint-Gobain, we believe in elevating our people through Trust, Empowerment, and Collaboration, because when our employees lead, we all grow together: personally, professionally, and as an organization.”

This achievement reflects Saint-Gobain’s shared purpose, its well-defined culture of Trust, Empowerment, and Collaboration (TEC), combined with strong leadership alignment, which drives business performance, employee engagement and growth.

Active in 125 countries/regions, Top Employers Institute is the global authority in Human Resources Certification, benchmarking and advisory. Its Program certifies organizations based on the results of its HR Best Practices Survey, which covers six domains including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Wellbeing.

Saint-Gobain North America, a dynamic work environment in a growing business

There is no better time to join the 18,000 employees of Saint-Gobain North America that work every day towards fulfilling the meaningful purpose of Making The World a Better Home. With the recent launch of Saint-Gobain’s new five-year strategy, Lead & Grow, the company remains committed to its growth in North America:

• Since 2020, Saint-Gobain has invested nearly $7 billion in acquisitions, capacity expansions and other growth projects in North America. These investments include large expansions in gypsum and roofing plants in the southern United States as well as significant acquisitions in Canada.
• To help grow local talent, in fall 2025 Saint-Gobain launched Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities, a manufacturing workforce development program for high-school students with the goal to bring visibility to manufacturing as a valuable and rewarding career path.
• Recently completed, the major expansion at Saint-Gobain’s CertainTeed Gypsum plant in Palatka, Florida makes the site the largest gypsum wallboard facility in the world, doubles production capacity and will create 110 new jobs.
• In September, the Group finalized its world-class expansion and sustainable upgrade project at its CertainTeed Gypsum plant in Sainte-Catherine, Quebec, transforming the facility into North America’s first zero-carbon (scopes 1 and 2) gypsum wallboard plant and the largest of its kind in the world.

Career opportunities at Saint-Gobain

At Saint-Gobain North America, the catalyst behind our progress is our remarkable team, and we take pride in every member. We invest in our people with robust benefits, career development programs, manufacturing job training, internal growth opportunities and unfettered support.

With over 160 locations across North America, there is an opportunity waiting for you at Saint-Gobain. Join a workplace where you belong, today: saint-gobain-northamerica.com/careers.

About Saint-Gobain

Worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and services for the construction and industrial markets. Its integrated solutions for the renovation of public and private buildings, light construction and the decarbonization of construction and industry are developed through a continuous innovation process and provide sustainability and performance. The Group, celebrating its 360th anniversary in 2025, remains more committed than ever to its purpose “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”.

€46.6 billion in sales in 2024

More than 161,000 employees, locations in 80 countries

Committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050

Contact for media only:
Peter Clark
Senior Public Relations Manager, Saint-Gobain North America
peter.clark@saint-gobain.com
603-513-8513

 

The Dominican Republic is often framed through the lens of tourism. But behind the beaches, the country has built something far more industrial — a globally connected, export-driven life sciences engine that is now shaping nearshoring decisions across the Americas.

Over the past two decades, the Dominican Republic has steadily attracted medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturing into its network of free zones, supported by predictable incentives, proximity to the U.S., and a growing base of skilled technical talent. A recent U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) executive briefing notes that government support for free trade zones has been central to this success, with dozens of industrial parks hosting hundreds of companies — and a large share of free zone exports tied to pharmaceuticals and medical instruments.

Now, the country’s next chapter is taking shape at the Port of Caucedo — where DP World’s planned Special Economic Zone (SEZ) expansion is designed to create a new, integrated logistics-industrial ecosystem that is well-positioned to serve high-value, time-sensitive sectors like medtech.

The free zone playbook that turned policy into production

The Dominican Republic’s rise did not happen by accident. It was built through deliberate industrial policy — especially the expansion of free zones that lowered barriers for global manufacturers and helped create “plug-and-play” operating environments.

By 2023, the country had 87 industrial parks and 820 companies operating in free trade zones, according to the USITC briefing. Those zones are not limited to one sector, but life sciences has become a defining strength. Dominican Republic Free Zones (the National Free Zones Council’s platform) describes the medical device sector as a major export driver, with 40+ manufacturers and 35,000+ direct jobs, noting that medical device manufacturing represents 31% of all Free Zone exports and US$2.6billion in 2023 alone.

That scale matters because medtech manufacturing is operationally demanding, requiring regulated inputs, validated processes, cleanroom standards, and strict traceability expectations. Countries that win in medtech tend to pair incentives with execution — e.g., consistent rules, reliable utilities, quality systems’ maturity, and a workforce that can support precision manufacturing.

Why global medtech firms keep choosing the Dominican Republic

As the sector matured, the country became more than a low-cost assembly destination. It evolved into a manufacturing base that global companies could expand within.

Multiple sources point to the depth of the Dominican Republic’s medtech footprint, including the presence of major global manufacturers operating in-country.

Just as importantly, the Dominican Republic’s location supports speed-to-market. Manufacturers serving North American customers can reduce transit time and inventory pressure compared with longer Asia-based supply chains, while still operating within an established export platform.

Trade frameworks have helped reinforce that advantage. The Dominican Republic participates in CAFTA-DR, the free trade agreement linking the U.S., the Dominican Republic, and several Central American countries. For exporters, that can support more predictable access and streamlined cross-border trade — an increasingly valuable attribute in an era where supply chains are being redesigned for resilience, not just cost.

Skilled labor, quality culture, and the “second-order” advantages

Medtech growth tends to compound. Once a few anchor companies establish operations, they bring suppliers, auditors, and specialized service providers with them. Over time, that creates second-order advantages that are hard to replicate quickly elsewhere:

• A deeper talent pool trained in regulated manufacturing environments
• Shared supplier ecosystems for packaging, plastics, sterilization, and components
• Quality and compliance familiarity that improves ramp-up times for new facilities
• A reputation flywheel that reduces perceived risk for new entrants

This is how “under-the-radar” hubs become durable. The Dominican Republic is no longer emerging — it is scaling.

The next opportunity: a port-to-zone model built for high-value manufacturing

As the country’s medtech base grows, the next constraint often becomes logistics: speed, reliability, storage, and integration across inbound materials and outbound finished goods.

That is where the next phase of development for DP World’s operations at the Port of Caucedo becomes strategically relevant.

In May 2025, DP World signed a historic agreement with the Dominican government to expand the Port of Caucedo and the adjacent Free Trade Zone, increasing terminal handling capacity and developing 225 hectares of integrated logistics and industrial infrastructure as part of an ESG-driven SEZ.

The planned SEZ includes new industrial buildings and a multimodal logistics network intended to attract manufacturers looking for a turnkey environment — and it is being positioned specifically to support nearshoring demand.

For medtech manufacturers, the value of this model is straightforward:

• Faster, simpler movement between production, storage, and export gateways
• Reduced dwell time for high-value inputs and finished goods
• Better visibility and control across inventory, documentation, and handoffs
• A platform for value-added logistics, including kitting, postponement, and specialized handling

And because medtech is often built around service levels and reliability (not just unit cost), an integrated port-SEZ ecosystem can be a competitive advantage in its own right.

Workforce development that keeps pace with advanced manufacturing

Manufacturing growth is only as durable as the talent pipeline behind it. DP World’s planned expansion emphasizes workforce development through the DP World Academy and other higher education partnerships, with training designed to build logistics and supply chain competencies aligned to future demand.

For medtech companies, that focus is not peripheral — it is core. As facilities become more automated and compliance expectations rise, the labor market must keep pace with new roles in quality systems, equipment maintenance, planning, and specialized warehousing.

Why this matters now for nearshoring decision-makers

The nearshoring conversation is no longer theoretical. Procurement leaders and operations executives are actively rebalancing footprints to reduce risk, improve responsiveness, and control landed cost volatility.

The Dominican Republic offers a compelling mix: an established free zone platform, a growing medtech manufacturing base, proximity to the U.S., and a trade framework that supports export momentum.

DP World’s planned SEZ expansion builds on those national strengths — creating infrastructure designed to connect advanced manufacturing directly to a high-performance trade gateway, while embedding sustainability, workforce readiness, and long-term competitiveness into the model.

A quiet giant — becoming harder to ignore

For years, the Dominican Republic’s medtech rise has been a “quiet” story: visible to operators in the sector, less visible to broader audiences. But the underlying fundamentals are now large enough — and strategic enough — that they are changing how companies think about manufacturing placement in the Americas.

As the country moves into its next phase, the opportunity is not just to manufacture more devices. It is to build a deeper, faster, more integrated ecosystem — where medtech firms can produce at scale, ship with speed, and operate with the predictability that regulated industries require.

And with the next phase of development planned for DP World, the Dominican Republic’s medtech story may not stay quiet for much longer.

Learn more about DP World’s port and economic zone operations in the Dominican Republic

Malvern, Pennsylvanie – Le jeudi 15 janvier 2026 /3BL/ – Saint-Gobain est fier d’annoncer qu’il a été reconnu par le Top Employers Institute comme Global Top Employer 2026, une distinction que l’entreprise détient depuis 11 années consécutives en reconnaissance de son engagement à offrir un environnement de travail motivant et accueillant pour tous. L’entreprise fait partie d’un groupe de seulement 17 organisations dans le monde à obtenir cette prestigieuse certification, démontrant son niveau d’excellence dans l’attention portée à ses collaborateurs à travers l’ensemble de ses opérations mondiales. Cette distinction renommée s’étend également aux activités de Saint-Gobain en Amérique du Nord, tant aux États-Unis qu’au Canada.

« C’est avec un immense honneur et une grande fierté que nous recevons cette importante reconnaissance internationale. Bien que nous célébrions cette réussite pour la onzième année consécutive, nous ne la considérons jamais comme acquise et nous continuons à travailler sans relâche chaque jour pour instaurer une culture d’entreprise où chacun peut s’épanouir », souligne Magda Dexter, Vice-présidente principale, Ressources Humaines et Communications, Saint-Gobain Amérique du Nord. « Chez Saint-Gobain, nous croyons au développement de nos collaborateurs grâce à la Confiance, l’Autonomisation et la Collaboration, car lorsque nos employés prennent les devants, nous avançons tous ensemble : sur le plan personnel, professionnel et en tant qu’organisation. »

Cette réussite reflète la raison d’être de Saint-Gobain, sa culture profondément ancrée dans la Confiance, l’Autonomisation et la Collaboration (la culture TEC), le tout guidé par un leadership fort, qui stimule la performance de l’entreprise, l’engagement des collaborateurs et la croissance.

Actif dans 125 pays et régions, le Top Employers Institute est l’autorité mondiale en matière de certification, d’évaluation comparative et de conseil en ressources humaines. Son programme certifie les organisations sur la base des résultats de son enquête sur les meilleures pratiques RH, qui couvre six domaines : Stratégie RH, Environnement de travail, Acquisition des talents, Formation, Diversité, Équité et Inclusion, ainsi que le Bien-être.

Saint-Gobain Amérique du Nord, un environnement de travail dynamique au sein d’une entreprise en pleine croissance

Il n’y a jamais eu de meilleur moment pour rejoindre les 18 000 employés de Saint-Gobain Amérique du Nord qui œuvrent chaque jour à concrétiser notre raison d’être : Faire du monde une maison plus belle et plus durable. Avec le lancement récent de la nouvelle stratégie quinquennale de Saint-Gobain, Lead & Grow, l’entreprise réaffirme son engagement envers sa croissance en Amérique du Nord :

• Depuis 2020, Saint-Gobain a investi près de 7 milliards de dollars dans des acquisitions, des expansions et d’autres projets de croissance en Amérique du Nord. Ces investissements comprennent d’importantes expansions d’usines de panneaux de gypse et de toiture dans le sud des États-Unis ainsi que des acquisitions majeures au Canada.
• Pour soutenir le développement des talents locaux, Saint-Gobain a lancé à l’automne 2025 le programme Sustaining Futures, Raising Communities, une initiative de formation pour les élèves du secondaire visant à faire connaître la fabrication comme une voie professionnelle valorisante et épanouissante.
• Complétée récemment, la grande expansion de l’usine de gypse CertainTeed à Palatka, en Floride, fait de ce site la plus grande usine de panneaux de gypse au monde, double sa capacité de production et créera 110 nouveaux emplois.
• En septembre, le Groupe a finalisé son projet d’expansion et de modernisation durable de classe mondiale à l’usine de gypse CertainTeed de Sainte-Catherine, au Québec, transformant cette installation en la première usine nord-américaine de panneaux de gypse zéro carbone (portées 1 et 2) et la plus grande de son genre au monde.

Des occasions de carrière chez Saint-Gobain

Chez Saint-Gobain Amérique du Nord, notre croissance est propulsée par notre équipe exceptionnelle, et nous sommes fiers de chacun de ses membres. Nous investissons dans nos collaborateurs grâce à des avantages sociaux complets, des programmes de développement de carrière, des formations aux différents métiers de la fabrication, des occasions de croissance interne et un soutien en tout temps.

Avec plus de 160 sites à travers l’Amérique du Nord, une opportunité vous attend chez Saint-Gobain. Rejoignez dès aujourd’hui un environnement où vous avez votre place : saint-gobain-northamerica.com/careers.

À propos de Saint-Gobain

Leader mondial de la construction durable, Saint-Gobain conçoit, produit et distribue des matériaux et services pour les marchés de l’habitat et de l’industrie. Développées dans une dynamique d’innovation permanente, ses solutions intégrées pour la rénovation des bâtiments publics et privés, la construction légère et la décarbonation du monde de la construction et de l’industrie apportent durabilité et performance. Le Groupe, qui fête en 2025 ses 360 ans, est plus que jamais guidé par sa raison d’être FAIRE DU MONDE UNE MAISON PLUS BELLE ET PLUS DURABLE.

46,6 milliards d’euros de chiffre d’affaires en 2024 
Plus de 161 000 collaborateurs, présence dans 80 pays 
Engagé à être zéro émission nette de carbone d’ici 2050

Contact pour les médias seulement:
Alexandre Lainesse
Responsable des relations publiques, Canada, Saint-Gobain Amérique du Nord
alexandre.lainesse@saint-gobain.com
514-973-1187

International Olympic Committee news

In recognition of its progress in reducing its corporate carbon footprint by 30%, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has received the Low Carbon Award from 2050Today, the Geneva-based climate action network of international organisations.

Key Facts

• Between 2021 and 2024, the IOC reduced its corporate carbon footprint by 30 per cent compared to the 2016-2019 baseline – an intermediate step towards a 50 per cent reduction by 2030.
• The Low Carbon Award was presented by 2050Today, a Geneva-based climate action network bringing together more than 60 institutions of “International Geneva”.
• As part of the prize, the Jet d’Eau, one of Geneva’s landmarks, was illuminated in the colours of the Olympic rings on 8 December 2025.

Presented on 3 December 2025 during a ceremony organised by 2050Today in Geneva, the Low Carbon Award acknowledges the IOC’s efforts to cut its direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions. The jury highlighted the IOC’s work to reduce emissions from business travel, supported by the introduction of internal carbon budgets that guide travel planning and decision-making across the organisation.

To achieve this 30 per cent reduction, the IOC implemented a series of measures focused on its largest sources of emissions. For business travel – which represents a significant share of its indirect (scope 3) emissions – the IOC refined the frequency and format of meetings, increased the use of videoconferencing, introduced sustainable travel principles and set carbon budgets for each department. Staff were given access to tools to monitor the CO₂ impact of their trips, helping to embed climate considerations into everyday choices.

These measures enabled the organisation to meet its 30 per cent corporate emissions reduction target and stay on track to halve emissions by 2030.

It is a true honour for the IOC to receive the 2050Today Low Carbon Award, Climate change is affecting all of us, and as a global organisation we have a responsibility to reduce our own footprint, to lead by example and to share what we learn with others.

Christophe De Kepper, IOC Director General

While these efforts relate to the IOC as an organisation, its climate commitment goes further, with a particular focus on reducing the footprint of the Olympic Games. Organising Committees are required to minimise Games-related carbon emissions and to encourage stakeholders to take meaningful climate action.

As part of the prize, Geneva’s Jet d’Eau was illuminated in the colours of the Olympic rings earlier this week.

2050Today is a climate action network bringing together more than 60 institutions of “International Geneva” – including permanent missions, United Nations agencies and other international organisations such as CERN and EPFL – that are working collectively to measure and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The jury for the Low Carbon Award was composed of representatives from the Canton of Geneva, the City of Geneva, the Industrial Services of Geneva (SIG) and 2050Today.

For further details about the IOC’s climate commitments and progress, visit the IOC’s sustainability webpage and consult the latest IOC Sustainability Report.

Across the Asia Pacific region, the demand for retrofits is increasing. Factors like stricter energy efficiency regulations, aging building infrastructure, and sustainability initiatives that prioritize retrofits over new construction drive this shift in customers who want to improve the performance of systems they already own. 

This trend is especially visible in China, one of Trane Technologies’ largest markets in Asia Pacific. For almost thirty years, Trane Technologies teams in China have supported local customers with equipment upgrades, performance improvements and long-term service programs.

By modernizing older units and integrating newer energy-saving technologies, Zhuang’s team helps reduce energy use and emissions while extending the useful life of customers’ equipment.

VIDEO: How Retrofit Services Drive Energy Efficiency Across Asia Pacific

Significant energy and cost savings for customers

These improvements can be significant. Wang Juncan, Service Project Manager with Trane Services, explains that many customers see energy savings of 20 percent or more. For a facility that spends about 1 million USD a year on electricity, this means savings of nearly 200,000 USD each year.

China’s larger market shows this trend. In July 2025, total electricity use hit historic levels, increasing by 8.6 percent compared to last year. As industrial activity increases and electricity demand grows, many companies are looking for practical ways to reduce consumption without halting production. Trane Technologies’ capability in China, which includes manufacturing operations and an innovation center, gives local teams the tools and testing capability needed to support these upgrades.

Overcoming challenges to retrofit implementation

But reducing customer energy consumption isn’t without its complexities. “I recall a project where our team developed a very detailed solution,” says Wang. “Once fully prepared, we had to complete a planned system retrofit within a 20-minute window to ensure the client’s production line would run 24 hours without stopping. The retrofit project had a long cycle and was heavy on tasks, but success depended on those critical 20 minutes.”

The team delivered on its promise with no interruptions to production. Wang attributes his team’s success to their professionalism, expertise and collaborative teamwork.

Building trust through long-term partnerships

Stories like this highlight the reality many customers face. They need improvement but can’t afford production downtime. This is where, Zhuang believes, long-term partnership and trust is crucial.

“Every time we complete a retrofit project, it feels like going through an open-book exam. With every project, clients trust us more. We always serve clients with the right attitude and professional expertise.” Over time, this trust becomes a lasting outcome of a retrofit program – that, and customers discover that the equipment they have relied on for years suddenly performs better, their energy use drops, their operations become steadier and decisions feel easier because the results are clear.

The demand for this kind of work is growing across Asia Pacific as companies look for ways to cut energy use, decarbonize and strengthen their operations. Trane Technologies’ teams around the world are helping them do exactly that with careful planning, technical skill and a commitment to supporting customers throughout the equipment lifecycle.

Learn more about how Trane Technologies is innovating for impact.

Across the Asia Pacific region, the demand for retrofits is increasing. Factors like stricter energy efficiency regulations, aging building infrastructure, and sustainability initiatives that prioritize retrofits over new construction drive this shift in customers who want to improve the performance of systems they already own. 

This trend is especially visible in China, one of Trane Technologies’ largest markets in Asia Pacific. For almost thirty years, Trane Technologies teams in China have supported local customers with equipment upgrades, performance improvements and long-term service programs.

By modernizing older units and integrating newer energy-saving technologies, Zhuang’s team helps reduce energy use and emissions while extending the useful life of customers’ equipment.

VIDEO: How Retrofit Services Drive Energy Efficiency Across Asia Pacific

Significant energy and cost savings for customers

These improvements can be significant. Wang Juncan, Service Project Manager with Trane Services, explains that many customers see energy savings of 20 percent or more. For a facility that spends about 1 million USD a year on electricity, this means savings of nearly 200,000 USD each year.

China’s larger market shows this trend. In July 2025, total electricity use hit historic levels, increasing by 8.6 percent compared to last year. As industrial activity increases and electricity demand grows, many companies are looking for practical ways to reduce consumption without halting production. Trane Technologies’ capability in China, which includes manufacturing operations and an innovation center, gives local teams the tools and testing capability needed to support these upgrades.

Overcoming challenges to retrofit implementation

But reducing customer energy consumption isn’t without its complexities. “I recall a project where our team developed a very detailed solution,” says Wang. “Once fully prepared, we had to complete a planned system retrofit within a 20-minute window to ensure the client’s production line would run 24 hours without stopping. The retrofit project had a long cycle and was heavy on tasks, but success depended on those critical 20 minutes.”

The team delivered on its promise with no interruptions to production. Wang attributes his team’s success to their professionalism, expertise and collaborative teamwork.

Building trust through long-term partnerships

Stories like this highlight the reality many customers face. They need improvement but can’t afford production downtime. This is where, Zhuang believes, long-term partnership and trust is crucial.

“Every time we complete a retrofit project, it feels like going through an open-book exam. With every project, clients trust us more. We always serve clients with the right attitude and professional expertise.” Over time, this trust becomes a lasting outcome of a retrofit program – that, and customers discover that the equipment they have relied on for years suddenly performs better, their energy use drops, their operations become steadier and decisions feel easier because the results are clear.

The demand for this kind of work is growing across Asia Pacific as companies look for ways to cut energy use, decarbonize and strengthen their operations. Trane Technologies’ teams around the world are helping them do exactly that with careful planning, technical skill and a commitment to supporting customers throughout the equipment lifecycle.

Learn more about how Trane Technologies is innovating for impact.