European building materials supplier Saint-Gobain reported full year sales for 2013 of €42 billion (US$57.7 billion), a decrease of 2.7 percent from 2012. Profit decreased 14.1 percent to €595 million (US$817.7 million) from the previous year.

Fourth quarter sales were €10.5 billion (US$14.4 billion), a decrease of 1.9 percent from the same period the previous year.

Innovative materials sales were down 0.7 percent in 2013. Sales for the construction products sector were up 1.9 percent, while building distribution was down 1.4 percent. Packaging sales were down 1.8 percent for the year.

Geographically, France was down 3.8 percent in sales, other Western European countries were down 1.2 percent, North America was down 0.3 percent, and Asia and emerging countries were up 7.2 percent.

“2013 confirmed our expectations of a recovery in operating income in the second half, powered by the upturn in certain Western European countries, particularly the UK and Germany, along with a brighter picture in Asia and emerging countries," said Pierre-André de Chalendar, CEO of Saint-Gobain. "In 2014, trends for our different markets should improve even though the climate is likely to remain uncertain, and we expect a clear like-for-like improvement in operating income.”