Gypsum industry news

Russia: Türkiye-based Parget Makina has begun construction of a plaster plant for Litox under an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract.

In a post to LinkedIn, Parget Makina General Director Cevdet Karaibrahimoğlu said that the site of the project is in Southern Russia, where Litox is a leading producer of plaster and dry mixes.

Egypt: Industrial House for Building Materials has signed a contract with the General Authority of the Suez Canal Economic Zone to build a new factory in Sinai’s Technology Valley in East Ismailia. Arab Finance News has reported that the producer will invest US$12m to build the plant. When operational, it will produce 4Mm²/yr of gypsum wallboard, 900,000t/yr of plaster and 60m bags annually. Industrial House for Building Materials expects to export 80% of the plant’s total production.

Saudi Arabia: National Gypsum Company has signed a contract with LVJOE Machinery Manufacturing Group for work to upgrade production lines at its Riyadh plaster plants, scheduled for completion in late 2025. Mist News has reported that the total value of the upgrades as US$3.96m.

US: National calcined gypsum prices were US$63/t in 2024, up by 5% year-on-year, Statista has reported. The figure more than doubled decade-on-decade from US$27/t in 2014.

Ukraine: Knauf Ukraine has begun building its upcoming US$150m, 30Mm²/yr Ternopil gypsum wallboard plant in Ukraine, at Borshchiv in South Ukraine. Ukrainska Pravda News has reported that the plant will also produce 320,000t/yr of dry building mixes. Knauf Ukraine already operates a gypsum mine near the site.

Knauf Ukraine’s existing 25Mm²/yr gypsum wallboard and 200,000t/yr dry mix plant in Kyiv, Central Ukraine, employs 425 people, over 200 of them resituated from Knauf’s former Soledar operations in Russian-occupied Eastern Ukraine.

World: Research firm HTF Market Intelligence has projected 6.2% compound annual growth in the value of global sales of gypsum wallboard and plaster between 2024 and 2032. This would lead to a 54% rise over the eight-year period, from US$55bn to US$85bn.

Ukraine: Saint-Gobain Building Products Ukraine, an importer and distributor of gypsum products in Ukraine, has inaugurated its new 60,000t/yr Ivano-Frankivsk plaster plant. LIGA Business News has reported that the plant cost €11m, will employ 50 people and produce plaster mixes for sale under the Rigips brand.

Saint-Gobain Poland and Ukraine president Joanna Czynsz-Piechowiak said "The opening of the first Saint-Gobain plant in Ukraine is an important step for our company. Even in difficult times, we continue to move forward and invest in the future.”

Spain: Saint-Gobain Placo has launched Longips Premium plaster for interior coatings. The product offers an ‘enhanced formula’ with more consistent mixing, easier smoothing and optimised setting. It is available in 17kg bags with a new ‘modern, dynamic design.’

Saint-Gobain Placo said "The new Longips Premium solution reflects Placo's commitment to building better for people and the planet, always guided by Saint-Gobain Group's common purpose of making the world a better home."

Turkmenistan: Ak Bulut has inaugurated its 4Mm²/yr Dostluk gypsum wallboard plant in the Koytendag District of Lebap Region. Trend News has reported that the plant partly runs on solar power, and also produces 50,000t/yr of dry building mixes. Ak Bulut says that it sources the plant's natural gypsum from Koytendag District, and markets its products domestically and in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Uzbekistan.

Australia/New Zealand: Belgium-based Etex has signed an agreement with building materials company BGC to acquire the latter’s gypsum and fibre cement businesses. The gypsum business consists of wallboard, plasters, compounds and cornice production units, and includes the Perth gypsum wallboard plant in Western Australia. BGC also operates nine warehouses across Australia and New Zealand. Etex says that the deal expands its activities in the ‘attractive’ local market, with significant growth opportunities. Finalisation is expected in early 2024.

Etex CEO Bernard Delvaux said “This deal is a strategic opportunity for Etex to complement our footprint in Australia and further increase the accessibility of our products and services for customers. This will both reinforce our gypsum wallboard offering and position us well in the growing fibre cement activities through a broad product range and good channel access.”