Gypsum industry news

Japan: Yoshino Gypsum has developed a new gypsum wallboard fixing method called ‘Smart JG’ that uses adhesive and a magnet. It is intended to replace the usual installation method using power tools, screws and nails. The Smart JG method uses a special tape-like solid adhesive ‘JG02’ and a special tool ‘Super Mag Chuck’ to fix boards to the iron base and layer them. Notably, this new approach does not use screws and does not have staple marks on the surface of the board allowing for more decorative applications. This method is also quieter as power tools are not used. The patent for ‘Smart JG’ is currently pending.

Canada: The directors of the NuGyp Corporation are inviting sealed bids for the purchase of the patents and the intellectual property of the NuGyp process. The NuGyp process is a technique for reducing the water demand of beta plaster. Patents have been granted in 27 countries to date and further applications are pending to cover all major markets in the world. The deadline for the bidding process is 1 August 2016.

The process has been operated at up to 72t/hr in a plant running two plasterboard lines. Another installation is set to come on-stream soon. Two multi-plant companies are also interested in the technology. The technology is developed and ready for commercial use by a company that can provide full calcination technology to the industry.

NuGyp was formed in 2008 by Bob Bruce, Gary Murray and Charlie Blow to develop and commercialise new technologies related to the production of low water demand hemihydrate plaster for use in the gypsum industry. The NuGyp process has patents granted or pending in over 70 countries worldwide and covers all major gypsum producing territories.

Europe: Microban International has secured a European patent relating to treated wallboard, increasing its portfolio of wallboard technology patents that include the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Hong Kong, Australia and Brazil. The patent covers the incorporation of an antimicrobial additive package into the wallboard to resist the growth of mould and mildew. The patented wallboard employs a two-part anti-microbial system and an innovative targeting approach to provide protection against mould, mildew and fungus.

"These types of product patents help us to develop new specific formulations for dealing with microbial issues that wallboard may have, especially in humid or damp areas," said Ivan Ong, VP of research and development. "In wallboard, fungal issues typically occur at the interface between the paper and the gypsum core. Fungal infiltration of this nature can occur without visual cues until it becomes extensive and damaging. The patent provides an effective and manufacturing-friendly method to deliver a combinatorial package of antimicrobial agents to specifically target microbial issues this interface."

Worldwide: The NuGyp Corporation has reported that patent coverage of its NuGyp Process continues to expand. The granting of the 14th patent now gives protection in 20 countries and a further 18 applications are pending worldwide covering all existing and potential markets for low water demand plaster, including wallboard, blocks, floor screed and special plasters.

The process reduces the water demand of plaster to yield major cost savings in energy and water use during product manufacture. The new patents mean that the process is now covered in Australia, China, Columbia, Eurasia (Turkmenistan, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Tajikistan, Russia, Azerbaijan Republic, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Republic of Armenia), Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Ukraine and the United States.

Discussions are in progress with a number of companies interested in acquiring the intellectual property fully to exploit its market potential.

US: On 21 June 2011 United States Gypsum Co. was assigned a patent for 'Gypsum-containing product and method for producing same.' The inventors were named as Qiang Yu, Steven W Sucech, Brent E Groza, Raymond J Mlinac, Frederick T Jones and Paul J Henkels, all from the US.

According to the abstract released by the US Patent & Trademark Office, 'The invention provides a set gypsum-containing product having increased resistance to permanent deformation and a method for preparing it comprising forming a mixture of a calcium sulphate material, water and an appropriate amount of one or more enhancing materials chosen from condensed phosphoric acids, each of which comprises two or more phosphoric acid units; and salts or ions of condensed phosphates, each of which comprises two or more phosphate units. The mixture is then maintained under conditions sufficient for the calcium sulphate material to form a set gypsum material.'