Gypsum industry news

US: Johns Manville’s (JM) filtration products plant in Richland, Mississippi started production of nonwoven filtration media for use in face masks in April 2020. JM’s Engineered Products business decided to build on its existing capabilities and help meet market demand due to shortages in the US and Europe in relation to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Johns Manville is in a unique position to serve a market that is fulfilling a great need across the world,” said Mary Rhinehart, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of JM. “Our high-performance nonwoven material is designed to provide high levels of filtration for various types of face masks. We are proud of our teams in Richland and throughout JM for finding new ways to support the communities and people who are on the front lines of this global crisis.”

JM says its media meets or exceeds Level 1 BFE 95% (Bacterial Filtration Efficiency) and VFE (Viral Filtration Efficiency) requirements. These results were verified by a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) registered laboratory.

UK: France-based Saint-Gobain subsidiary British Gypsum has announced the suspension of non-essential operations until 22 April 2020, subject to regular review in light of government advice. British Gypsum managing director Matt Pullen said, “Further information on when new orders can be placed and deliveries made will be available nearer the time, after the safe re-start of our operations.”

The company says that it will retain a ‘small-scale customer services, operations and logistics team to be able to provide drylining products to support those NHS and other Covid-19 response essential infrastructure and building projects.’

UK: Plans have been submitted for a gypsum wallboard production facility in Newport, Wales. Put forward by Associated British Ports (ABP), which owns the city’s port, the 15,000m² plant would be built next to Alexandra Docks. Once complete, the facility would be leased to a manufacturer by ABP.

A design and access statement prepared by Adams Hendry Consulting on behalf of the applicant said, “The manufacturing facility will make an important contribution to the local economy by providing new jobs, including manufacturing and office jobs. “It will generate approximately 70 full-time equivalent (FTE) direct jobs and it is estimated that the facility will support an additional 130 indirect jobs in the supply chain. The facility is expected to operate 24 hours per day over three shifts year-round.”

ABP requested an environmental impact assessment screening opinion for the application in July 2019, although Newport City Council decided in December 2019 that this was not required.

Uzbekistan: Knauf has announced plans for a second gypsum wallboard production line in Bukhara, Bukhara region. The plans also include an investment of Euro2.2m in an additional gypsum mixture line at its Bukharagips plant, also in Bukhara, which produces dry building mixes. Trend News has reported that Knauf is currently Uzbekistan’s leading producer of gypsum wallboard, which it sells on the Uzbek, Afghan and Turkmen markets.

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.

Algeria: France’s Alphaplatre has delivered an AP400 vertical kiln for a gypsum project in Algeria. The kiln has a plaster capacity of 400t/day. Alphaplatre's work on the project includes supplying equipment for gypsum preparation, calcination, grinding and bagging.

Canada: Cabot Gypsum is investing just under US$5m on upgrade to its Port Tupper gypsum wallboard plant in Nova Scotia. Company president Marcel Girouard said demand for rented residential properties was driving the expansion, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The project is expected to create up to 40 new jobs.

The wallboard producer has benefited from the building materials distribution network operated by its parent company, Acadian Drywall. It acquired the Port Tupper plant in 2011 following its closure in 2008.

Spain: Saint-Gobain Placo’s Ebro Gelsa gypsum wallboard plant has achieved silver certification for operational excellence under the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) programme. Its score improved to 63 points from 53 two years previously. Auditors recognised ‘clear progress in the different WCM pillars in recent years’ and ‘a clear strategy going ahead,’ noting a ‘high degree of safety’ at the plant.

Australia: Gavin Burton, the managing director of Knauf Australia, has denied speculation in the local press that the company was planning to sell its Bundaberg gypsum wallboard plant in Queensland. Burton told the Bundaberg NewsMail newspaper that the company was ‘very happy’ with its plant.

The response followed speculation in the Australian newspaper that Knauf might want to sell assets in the country in order to preserve a 50% stake in USG Boral’s business in Australia and New Zealand. Germany’s Knauf acquired USG in April 2019. In August 2019 Boral said it had entered into an agreement with Germany’s Knauf to form an expanded 50:50 plasterboard joint venture in Asia and for Boral to return to 100% ownership of USG Boral Australia & New Zealand. However, this was subject to regulatory approval.

UK: Belgian-based Etex has announced plans for a new gypsum wallboard plant in Portbury, near the Port of Bristol, to be commissioned in 2022. Its construction will cost Euro162m. Etex CEO Paul Van Oyen said the development ‘will strengthen our position in the UK – Europe’s largest plasterboard market – where there is a chronic housing shortage.’ Etex already serves the UK construction industry from its two gypsum plasterboard plants in Bristol and Ferrybridge.