Gypsum industry news

Japan: Two workers have died at Chiyoda-Ute’s Yokkaichi gypsum wallboard plant in Mie Prefecture. The accident occurred when three sub-contractors were conducting regular maintenance work near a wood waste boiler at the site. Local press reports that the workers became trapped in a dust collector during the incident. Chiyoda-Ute is investigating what happened.

Japan: Chiyoda Ute has reported that it has produced 100% climate neutral and 100% recycled wallboard at its Yokkaichi factory in Mie Prefecture. The company says that, to the best of its knowledge, this is a world first. The board was produced on 1 August 2022.

Speaking about the achievement, Frederick Knauf, Chiyoda Ute’s representative managing director said “We do not know whether another manufacturer has achieved this already on an industrial scale, but it shouldn't matter who was first, as the whole industry needs to come to this point. Being second, third or 25th is the same achievement from my point of view."

Japan: Chiyoda Ute has issued a share sales request as part of ongoing plans to form a joint-venture with Germany-based Knauf. Knauf is expected to acquire the outstanding shares. Shares in Chiyoda Ute will then be delisted in late July 2022. The move follows a tender offer from Knauf that was issued in April 2022. The eventual plan is form a joint-venture between the companies with Knauf holding a 75% share.

Japan: Data from the Gypsum Board Industry Association shows that domestic shipments of gypsum wallboard fell by 0.9% year-on-year to 455Mm² in 2021. This is the second consecutive annual decline, according to Nikkei. Local wallboard production is reportedly linked to new housing starts in the country. Recovery in non-residential markets, such as office interiors, has been slow.

Japan: Chiyode Ute has launched Chiyoda Virus Guard Board, a gypsum wallboard product with antibacterial and antiviral properties. The board’s lining is coated with an antibacterial and antiviral agent. It carries the Society of International Sustaining Growth for Antimicrobial Articles (SIAA) ISO21702 and ISO22196 markings.

Japan: Germany-based Knauf Group has launched a public tender offer to increase its stake in the Japanese wallboard producer Chiyode Ute from 50% to 75%. Knauf is the largest wallboard producer by installed capacity outside of China.

Speaking to Global Gypsum, Chiyode Ute’s Vice President and Representative Director Frederick Knauf said that the founding family Hirata would retain a 25% stake in the company. He added “For Knauf Group this is very exciting. Japan is the world’s third-largest wallboard market and one in which Chiyode Ute has a 20% market share. It is also a challenging market, where customers expect the best in terms of quality, delivery and customer service. We will continue to work with the Hirata family to further develop the company’s capabilities to better serve this demanding market in the future. Chiyoda Ute will be fully integrated into the Knauf Group.”

Japan: Yoshino Gypsum will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its Tiger brand of gypsum wallboard on 1 March 2022. The company was originally founded in 1901 when it started mining gypsum at the Yoshino Mine in Yamagata Prefecture. It later started to sell its first gypsum board product with the Tiger brand in 1922.

Japan: Chiyoda Ute’s revenue remained stable at US$165m in the first nine months of its financial year to 31 December 2021. Its net profit grew by 53% year-on-year to US$5.37m from US$3.52m in the same period in 2020. The gypsum wallboard producer reported that domestic house building had grown from March to December 2021 in tandem with a relaxation in coronavirus health measures from September 2021. It said that national gypsum wallboard shipping volumes grew by 2.4% to 344Mm² in the nine months to 31 December 2021. It added that due to the capital and business alliance it started with Knauf Group in January 2020 it viewed its future prospects as ‘competitive.’ In late 2019 the Germany-based construction materials company increased its shareholding in Chiyoda Ute to 45% from 26%.

Oman: Gypsum exports fell by 2% year-on-year to 8.81Mt in 2020 from 9.01Mt in 2020. This has been attributed to weaker demand in key markets caused by a global economic slowdown and the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Oman Daily Observer newspaper. However, industry figures remain optimistic about the future for the sector given the country’s continued position as the world’s largest exporter of gypsum. In 2020 the country exported 2.49Mt of gypsum to Vietnam, 1.49Mt to India, 1.41Mt to Bangladesh, 0.8Mt to Indonesia, 0.78Mt to Japan, 0.49Mt to South Africa and 0.37Mt to South Korea.

Japan: Daiseki Eco. Solutions subsidiary Green Arrows Kyushu has opened a wallboard recycling plant in the suburbs of Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The recycling plant will separate used and dismantled wallboard, collected from construction sites, into plaster powder and paper for sale to wallboard and paper manufacturers, respectively. The plant will begin with 15,000t/yr of processing capacity, which will be raised to 36,000t/yr.

Daiseki entered the wallboard-recycling business in 2009 through a subsidiary named Green Arrows Central, based in Tokai, Aichi Prefecture. Its Tokai plant currently recycles 30,000t/yr of used wallboard from the local area.