Gypsum industry news

France: Saint-Gobain’s sales in the first quarter of 2020 fell by 9.8% year-on-year, to Euro9.36bn from Euro10.4bn. Sales fell in all regions except the Americas, where they rose by 4.8% to Euro1.37bn from Euro1.31bn. The company said that coronavirus decreased demand in Asian and the Pacific in February 2020 and Southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa in March 2020. Northern European sales were only affected in the UK in the last week of March 2020. The company predicted that demand would increase globally in the second quarter of 2020 given that construction has been deemed an essential industry in most countries.

Spain: France-based Saint-Gobain subsidiary Saint-Gobain Placo has donated plastic linings produced at its Quinto de Ebro laminated gypsum wallboard plant in Zaragoza to use in the production of personal protective equipment for medical professionals caring for coronavirus patients and those vulnerable to the virus. These include home-helpers who attend 250 elderly people in the Ribera Baja del Ebro region.

On 23 April 2020 Spain’s confirmed coronavirus case count was 213,024, with 22,157 deaths.

Ireland: France-based Saint-Gobain subsidiary Gyproc has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to have its sulphate discharge licence for its Drummond, County Monaghan, mine increased by 530% to 1250mg/l from 200mg/l. The Irish Independent newspaper has reported that the higher level ‘would not occur year-round,’ according to the company, but ‘only at certain times.’ The EPA is ‘awaiting additional information from the applicant in order to make a decision.’

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.’

US: France-based Saint-Gobain subsidiary has reached out to ‘federal, state and local government to understand where and how’ it can redeploy ‘technologies, manufacturing operations and human expertise to help them address the covid-19 crisis.’ It also extended the offer of assistance to its partners, suppliers and customers ‘in their own efforts to help.’

France: Saint-Gobain has launched a game for smartphones and tablets called Saint-Gobain Brain to raise the company’s brand for recruitment. The game combines an exploration of Saint-Gobain’s business environments with the world of online gaming. It is initially available in French and English and will be translated and rolled out in the group's various countries in the course of 2020. The company also using the game to raise money for local charities through in-game donations.

France: Saint-Gobain’s net profit in 2019 was Euro1.45bn, up by 207% year-on-year from Euro474m in 2018. Its net sales were Euro42.6bn, up by 1.9% from Euro41.8bn in 2018. Saint-Gobain chairman CEO Pierre-André de Chalendar praised the year’s performance in spite of a ‘less supportive market environment in the second half.’ He said, “For 2020, in a more uncertain market environment, Saint-Gobain should continue to benefit from its attractive positioning and from the results of its ‘Transform & Grow’ initiative, and is targeting a further like-for-like increase in operating income with an uncertainty about the impact of the coronavirus.”

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.

Germany: Logistics visibility provider Sixfold says that Saint-Gobain Rigips will use its Sixfold’s logistics software to enable the firm’s sales teams and planners to provide customers with real-time data on shipments. Customers will be provided with live data on the status of shipments through Sixfold’s product and be able to track the status of goods in transit without calls to carriers, with the potential to gain savings of up to 30%.

Saint-Gobain Rigips’ is a joint customer of Sixfold and Transporeon, a major European logistics network. Sixfold is the exclusive shipments visibility provider for the Transporeon network and provides shipment information on over 50,000 shipments each day. The network comprises more than 1200 shippers in the manufacturing and retailing industries.

US: France-based Saint-Gobain has announced a 120MW wind power supply deal with Blooming Grove Wind Farm, the largest renewable energy contract in the gypsum wallboard producer’s history. The 12-year contract, which secures 120MW of the available 250MW of power for Saint-Gobain from the wind farm in Illinois, will reduce the company’s US carbon footprint by 21%, it says. “This makes North America a significant contributor in our global network towards helping meet Saint-Gobain’s sustainability goal of net-zero CO_² emissions by 2050,” said Saint-Gobain North America president and CEO Mark Rayfield.