Gypsum industry news

Spain: Knauf Ibérica is planning to build a 7.5MW biomass unit at its Guixers gypsum wallboard plant in Lleida. The unit will be operational by December 2024 and create around 200 jobs, according to La Vanguardia newspaper. The company intends to source wood biomass locally. Once operational it is expected to reduce the plant’s CO₂ emissions by 35%. The Guixers plant also installed photovoltaic solar panels earlier in 2023.

Alberto De Luca, chief executive officer of Knauf Ibérica, said “The launch of this project is a significant step towards reducing our carbon footprint and achieving zero emissions by 2045."

Spain: Pladur plans to start using green hydrogen at its Valdemoro gypsum wallboard plant from the second half of 2024. The subsidiary of Etex will then roll out the use of hydrogen at its other plants in the country, according to Forbes. It is also considering using biomethane and biogas generated from organic waste in its production processes.

Colombia: The Agência Nacional de Mineração (ANM) has included gypsum on a list of 17 strategic minerals that it considers key to helping the country develop. In addition to gypsum the list includes: copper; nickel; zinc; platinum; iron; manganese; metallurgical coal; phosphates; magnesium; bauxite; gold; emeralds; construction materials such as sands, gravels and clays; silica; limestone and chromium. It also includes various associated ores, concentrates and derivatives of the minerals on the list.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy originally compiled a list of strategic minerals in 2012 and the ANM has continued this since the start of 2023. By declaring certain minerals as ‘strategic’ the central government will have the power to reserve and delimit special areas with high mining potential that are free, in order to grant them to third parties through selection processes or other allocation schemes.

India: Saint-Gobain Gyproc has launched a range of products including gypsum wallboards. The new product line includes 'Habito Standard' a gypsum wallboard made for heavy unplanned and planned loading applications, 'Rigiroc,' a multi-purpose moisture resistant board and 'Glasroc X,' a wallboard for exterior applications. Saint-Gobain Gyproc also released a ceiling tile product at the same time.

Najwa Khoury, Global Gypsum Strategy Director at parent company Saint-Gobain, said "Saint-Gobain Gyproc continues to be committed to meeting the demands of the changing preferences and environmental conditions in India. Over the last few years, we have seen a growing acceptance of drywall and modern ceiling tiles in India, and we want to stay ahead of the curve. We are delighted to introduce a new range of innovative products that are functionally superior, sustainable, affordable and customizable, redefining the future of construction.”

The products will be available in India and neighbouring countries including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

France: Saint-Gobain’s chief executive officer (CEO) will also become the company’s chair after the next general shareholders meeting in June 2024. He will succeed Pierre-André de Chalendar in the role, who is preparing to retire. Independent director Jean-Francois Cirelli will also be appointed as vice-chair at the meeting.

The France-based company said that its board of directors have been working since 2021 to enhance the effectiveness of the group's governance and the independence of the board by restructuring the balance of power within it. A Lead Independent Director will also be appointed in June 2024 with additional powers and the proportion of independent directors on the board will be increased, subject to a vote.

Philippines: The government has cut the import duty on natural gypsum and anhydrite to zero from 3% previously in a bid to help the local wallboard and cement sectors. It is also expected to support housing and infrastructure projects in the country, according to the Philippines News Agency. Executive Order (EO) No. 46 was signed in early November 2023, approving the change in duty that was due to come into effect a month later in early December 2023.

The EO stated "At present, there are no operating mines of natural gypsum and anhydrite in the country, and there are also no local substitute for said products that are available for domestic producers of plasterboards and cement." The tariff rate is intended to last for five years but it will be reviewed annually at the end of 2024.

Ukraine: The National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) has added Germany-based Knauf to its list of “international sponsors of war” due to the company’s continued business in Russia. The government agency alleges that Knauf paid around US$117m in taxes to the Russian government in 2022. It noted that the company operates 10 subsidiaries, 20 production plants and nearly 30 resource centres in the country. It added that Nikolaus Wilhelm Knauf, a partner in Knauf Gips, had been a longstanding Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation until the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war in early 2022.

In March 2022 Jörg Schanow, a member of the management board of Knauf, told a German newspaper that the company had no plans to leave the Russian market.