Gypsum industry news

US: CertainTeed has installed new recycling technology at its Silver Grove, Kentucky, gypsum wallboard plant which will enable the facility to divert 15,000t/yr of production scrap paper from landfill. The technology grinds gypsum-contaminated paper into fine pieces for separation. The subsidiary of France-based Saint-Gobain says that it will then be able to reuse both paper and gypsum in its wallboard production at the plant.

CertainTeed’s gypsum general manager and vice president Jay Bachmann said “This project allows us to reduce our waste and reduce our production costs in Silver Grove while also empowering us to increase the efficiency of our use of natural resources.” He added “We will continue to look for ways to minimise our environmental footprint while maximising our company’s positive impact for our customers and the communities where we do business.”

US: CertainTeed plans to establish a new gypsum logistics facility in Jacksonville, Florida. The Saint-Gobain subsidiary plans to integrate a terminal dock operation on the St Johns River with environmental restoration of the riverside at an additional cost of US$70m. The site previously belonged to Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation until 1978.Construction is due to begin in 2022 and reach completion before 2025. Once operational, the dock will be equipped with a bulkhead, a conveyor, an unloading ramp, truck staging areas and a small office. The site will employ an estimated 32 people.

Vice president and general managerJay Bachmann “We are deeply grateful to the City of Jacksonville for their support of our new logistics facility on the St Johns River, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Greenfield to ensure the responsible stewardship of this Superfund site.” He added “This project will return a heavily contaminated Superfund site to productive use, creating dozens of full-time jobs and strengthening our company’s ability to serve our customers.”

US: CertainTeed soil conditioner and soil amendment subsidiary Western Mining and Minerals has taken over management of the former CertainTeed gypsum wallboard plant site in Cody, Wyoming. The Cody Enterprise newspaper has reported that the plant will produce gypsum for agricultural purposes. The producer decommissioned the former wallboard plant in December 2020 after it ceased production in January 2020.

US mining operations manager Roberto Margutti said, “With the agri-gypsum business (and other business opportunities generated with the mine operation), we expect to grow the team from 30% to 50% in the next three to five years.” He added, “We are pleased to be building our new operation with support from many of the same employees who have worked in our drywall plant previously, who will now help operate and manage the agricultural gypsum business.”

Canada: CertainTeed Canada plans to close its McAdam gypsum wallboard plant in New Brunswick by the end of February 2021. It said that the decision was made after ‘an extensive review of our business,’ according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). 50 employees are expected to lose their jobs, although the subsidiary of France-based Saint-Gobain says it will try to find roles at other CertainTeed and Saint-Gobain plants for them.
Production will stop at the unit at the end of August 2020. The plant will then continue using inventory until February 2021 with a skeleton staff. The plant was reported to be operating at 22 – 25% production capacity. The closure has been blamed on a decline for wallboard products in the Atlantic Canada region and elsewhere.

US: The Gypsum Association has elected Gregory McCown as the chair of its board of directors for 2020 – 2021. McCown is the Regional Manufacturing Manager – Eastern US for CertainTeed Gypsum. Other appointments include National Gypsum’s Craig Robertson as vice-chair, Pabco Gypsum’s Emil Kopilovich, as treasurer and the Gypsum Association's Stephen H Meima continues as the secretary. USG’s Albert R Zucco is the past chair of the board. All terms are for one year and are effective from 1 May 2020.

US: CertainTeed Gypsum plans to close its Cody gypsum wallboard plant on 3 April 2020. 50 jobs at the site will be lost when the subsidiary of France’s Saint-Gobain closes, according to the Associated Press. Saint-Gobain is reported to be attempting to sell the 26Mm²/yr facility.

US: Saint-Gobain has appointed Mark Rayfield as chief executive officer (CEO) of Saint-Gobain North America. He will oversee Saint-Gobain’s businesses in the US and Canada and continue to serve as CEO of its CertainTeed subsidiary. He succeeds Tom Kinisky, who now takes on the role of chairman of Saint-Gobain in North America and Chief Innovation Officer globally for the company.

US: Saint-Gobain North America has appointed Robert Panaro as its chief financial officer (CFO) and Senior Vice President of Finance. He previously worked as Vice President and CFO of CertainTeed, Saint-Gobain’s largest subsidiary in North America, and brings more than 25 years of experience to his new role. In his current role, Panaro will be responsible for overseeing mergers and acquisitions, capital investments and financial services in North America. He assumed the position earlier this year, succeeding Philippe Nouailhac as Senior Vice President of Finance and CFO for Saint-Gobain North America.

Panaro graduated from Boston College and holds a Bachelor of Science in management with a concentration in accounting and finance. He has served on the board of directors for the Grid Company, a joint venture between CertainTeed and Bailey Metals, Merit Abrasives and EcoTarium, a Natural Science Museum in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Canada: The Canada Border Services Agency has started an investigation into gypsum board products being imported from the US. The probe has been initiated by a complaint by CertainTeed Gypsum Canada about the products being imported into British Colombia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as the Yukon and Northwest Territories, according to the Canadian Press newspaper. It is the second complaint that CertainTeed Gypsum Canada has made in recent years, following a similar allegation in 2016.

In 2016 preliminary tariffs were imposed on US imports and then reduced after being blamed for raising the price of wallboard. The increases were linked to higher costs for domestic customers in Fort McMurray, Alberta following destruction caused by wildfires. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal later ruled that US imports had caused injury to local producers but that maintaining duties would not be in the country's trade interests.

Canada: The British Columbia government has granted an environmental assessment certificate for a 0.4Mt/yr opencast gypsum mine in West Kootenay proposed by CertainTeed Gypsum Canada. Construction of the project is expected to cost US$19m, according to the Canadian Press. Gypsum from the mine will be used to manufacture gypsum wallboard, cement and plaster products.