Gypsum industry news

World: With Boral's recent acquisition of Sunshine Coast Quarries, the company has spent USD250m in Queensland since April 2011. Boral's head of strategy and mergers and acquisitions, Matt Coren, said this move did not necessarily reveal a special focus on the state (or indeed on cement and concrete), saying, "You'll see us continue to invest in other markets."

Boral's recent acquisition spree, along with Coren's comments, has raised speculation that the group may be eyeing up bigger and more lucrative offshore investments. Following the decision by France's Lafarge to sell 80% of its European gypsum assets to Etex Group (announced on 14 July 2011 – read full story here), the spotlight has again swung to the possibility that Boral may be considering the French gypsum and plaster company's Asia-Pacific and North American assets. Boral and Lafarge have an existing joint venture plasterboard business in Asia and it is thought the Australian building group would like to increase its 50% stake or even buy out its partner entirely.

Credit Suisse has indeed recently labeled Boral as the 'natural owner' of Lafarge's remaining gypsum assets. Rohan Gallagher, an analyst with Credit Suisse said that Boral would need to raise equity to do the deal, but expressed doubt that facilities in the United States and Mexico (including six wallboard plants with over 300Mm2/yr wallboard capacity), would not be a wise choice for Boral in the present climate.

Nomura analyst Simon Thackray said that if Boral could increase its stake in the Asian joint venture by a further 10% and purchase a 60% interest in Lafarge's US business the group would need to spend about USD300m, which could be heavily dilutive.