Mark Rayfield

Data centers are a growing component of the commercial segment (approx. 35% of commercial business). Beyond just chips and servers, data centers require massive physical infrastructure: fast-curing foundations, advanced waterproofing to protect assets, and thermal insulation for cooling. Local manufacturing is critical here because these projects demand speed—they cannot wait for imports. Saint-Gobain has 140 manufacturing sites to supply these centers quickly. The sector tends to follow a "sine wave" pattern where builders overshoot demand (similar to multi-family recently), leading to a correction, though the CEO is not currently worried.