Saint-Gobain PAM Netherlands: For both standard and innovative solutions in circular piping systems

Metal has long been used, as well as reused. General manager Esther Lindeman of Saint Gobain PAM in Almere. "But it is underexposed how the recyclability of metal is organized. It's obvious, but we as a society don't think about it enough." 

Saint Gobain PAM is part of Saint Gobain International and employs more than 180,000 people worldwide. Lindeman: "It is a French company and has become big with building materials and glass. Think of the glass in the Louvre Pyramid of the museum of the same name in Paris. Or the glass in cars or building materials such as insulation materials or drywall, as well as pipe materials." 

Its customers in the Netherlands include all waterworks and all water boards. Lindeman: "We have been doing mainly sales and logistics services of piping materials since 1918 and have a fine cooperation with unique local partners. We exist in the Netherlands for more than 100 years, but unfortunately do not qualify for the Royal designation because we work with too few people in the Netherlands." 

One hundred percent recyclable

As part of a multinational company, Saint Gobain PAM in Almere supplies pipes made in France. Lindeman: "We also do business with other suppliers that are very interesting for our Dutch customers, such as an American supplier. Metal pipes are sustainable. As a company, we are part of a sustainable development approach, throughout the entire life cycle of our product. This green investment is possible thanks to the main material used; ductile iron and precious metal. It is one hundred percent recyclable, even to infinity. A good example is the replacement of the water mains in Amsterdam three years ago. The network supplies 33 percent of the city with clean drinking water. The funny thing; there had been a pipe there since 1853. That was plain cast iron, virtually the same material we use today. At the time, the pipe was supplied by an English factory, now also part of Saint Gobain. It illustrates how long a pipe is in the ground. Everything you take out can be reused. Also at the Château de Versailles near Paris, my French colleagues recently replaced the 17th-century cast-iron pipes that supply water to the many fountains. Here, too, the old ones are being given a new function." 

Lindeman continues, "The different applications help with a variety of issues, which we want to be involved in from the beginning. For example, it makes a difference whether you are going to build a treatment plant or just want to lay the pipes to transport wastewater to a village. For us, with every pipe request, the discussion begins; what pipe material do you need? And why? Saint Gobain has great products and in doing so, our customers' issues are diverse. Our scope is broad; we have small projects from 100 euros to mega jobs up to seven million euros. These specific requirements make the work fun and challenging for me."