Gypsum industry news

Cuba: Rose Gypsum has thanked Grenzebach and GPM Engineering for the company's help in negotiations with Empressa Materiales de Construccion. The companies have been in talks with the state-owned company to build a gypsum wallboard plant for Cuban and the Caribbean market. The plans also include production facilities for ceiling panels. Rose Gypsum described the tendering process as 'extremely challenging.' It is currently waiting for a response to its latest proposal.

Oman: The Gulf Mining Group is considering building a gypsum wallboard plant in Salalah. The project is part of a portfolio of planned investments scheduled for 2017 and 2018 announced by the company, according to Al-Bawaba News. Other schemes include a potash mine, a calcium carbonate project, a ferro-manganese smelter and a manganese beneficiation facility.

Australia: The framework is in place for a new wallboard plant that Knauf Plasterboard is building at the Port of Bundaberg in Queensland. A 27.8km gas pipeline that will support the project has also been laid, according to the Bundaberg Newspaper. The next step will be to commission the pipeline and commission off-takes. First gas flows are scheduled for mid-February 2017 whereupon it will supply the new Knauf plant that is expected to start production in June 2017.

US: Gypsoil is stopping production at its pelletised gypsum fertiliser plant in Winona, Minnesota. The plant has been shut down due to poor market demand, according to the Winona Daily News. The US$5m plant opened in early 2016. It used synthetic gypsum from coal smoke stack scrubbers in Ohio.

Vietnam: Knauf Vietnam has officially inaugurated its 20Mm² gypsum wallboard plant in the Dinh Vu Industrial Zone in Hai Phong. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, Le Thanh Son, Vice Chairman of Hai Phong People's Committee and Christian Berger, German Ambassador to Vietnam attended the opening ceremony amongst other dignitaries and representatives. Construction of the plant originally started in 2014.

"We have been in Vietnam for just over two years in which time we have set up an effective distribution network, with a strong customer base throughout the country. We are currently supplying the Vietnam market with our locally produced wallboard using leading German technology. All of our products have passed the strict requirements of TCVN 8256:2009 and ASTM C1396 and we have received a lot of positive feedback from our valued customers," said David Thomas, General Director of Knauf Vietnam.

India: Grenzebach BSH has signed a deal with Classic Gypsum of Kolhapur, Maharashtra to supply a plaster and plasterboard plant. No value for the contract has been announced. The deal was formalised at the 16^th Global Gypsum Conference that took place in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Philippines: Knauf and the German Investment and Development Corporation (DEG) are to build a 16Mm² gypsum wallboard plant in Bataan. The two companies will invest Euro40m in the joint venture project, according to the Philippines News Agency. The agreement was signed at the Philippine embassy in the presence of the Philippine ambassador to Germany Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek, Knauf CEO Manfred Grundke and Christian Laibach and Klaus Helsper on behalf of DEG.

The new plant is planned to be completed by early 2018 and is expected to create 100 direct jobs. The proposed investment was granted pioneer status, to provide tax incentives, by the Board of Investments and the Philippine Trade and Investment Centre-Berlin earlier in 2016.

Chile: El Volcan, a company owned by Matte Group and Saint-Gobain, plans to spend up to US$50m on building a new gypsum wallboard plant in Puente Alto. The builder's merchant intends to upgrade an existing production site to produce wallboard and plaster, according to the El Mercurio newspaper. Permits have been secured for the project and the plant is expected to be ready by early 2018. The company also intends to start selling its full range of products in Peru.

UK: British Gypsum has released plans to use natural gypsum instead of synthetic gypsum at its Sherburn-in-Elmet wallboard plant in North Yorkshire. The company wants to extend its mill building to aid the conversion as well as make some minor logistical changes at the site. The details were released as part of a planning application made to the local council, according to the York Press. If approved, British Gypsum says that the conversion will safeguard 130 jobs at the plant.

According to the planning statement, the current forecast for synthetic gypsum supply to the Sherburn plant projects that in late 2017 or early 2018, the plant's ability to continue manufacturing would be under threat. The plant is currently unable to grind natural gypsum rock on-site and operates solely on the use of desulphurised gypsum supplied from the Drax Power Station. The statement claims adequate and appropriate infrastructure is in place to meet the needs of the proposed development, including appropriate drainage to ensure there would be no increased risk of flooding from surface water run-off. It adds that the proposed development will be energy efficient and minimise energy consumption.

Iran: Azerbaijani company Matanat-A plans to build a gypsum wallboard plant in Iran according to comments made by Mohsen Pak Ayeen, the Iranian ambassador to Baku, reported upon by the Trend News Agency. Jafar Sarghini, Iran's deputy industry minister for mining and mineral industries, said that the company has obtained a license to operate in the country.