Gypsum industry news

Iran: A gypsum exporter has despatched a trial shipment of 50 containers of ground gypsum by rail from Qom to Yiwu, China. Trend News Agency has reported that the trial is the outcome of successful negotiations between China, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in April 2024. The 15-day train journey passes through all four countries. The containers will transfer trains at the Etrek rail terminal in Turkmenistan, in order to circumvent issues of rail gauge differences between countries.

Turkmenistan: Ak Bulut despatched its first shipment of gypsum wallboard to Georgia on 2 April 2024. Trend News has reported that Ak Bulut says that the market entry signals the innovation of the Turkmen building materials sector. The producer commissioned its 4Mm²/yr Dostluk gypsum wallboard plant in December 2023.

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.

Turkmenistan: The government has announced plans for the construction of a 50,000t/yr calcite plant at Koytendag in Lebap region. Orient News has reported that calcite from the plant will supply regional gypsum wallboard production, which was 4Mm2 in 2021.

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.

Turkmenistan: Hilligurlushikonumleri has announced that it is building a dry gypsum compound and plasterboard plant in the city of Magdanly, Lebap Province. The plant, designed to produce 12Mm2/yr of gypsum wallboard and 100,000t/yr of dry gypsum mixtures, will be equipped with modern equipment and technology. Hilligurlushikonumleri says that this will make it possible to compete in the production of high-quality products, while creating new jobs. The construction of the facility is due to be completed by the end of 2019.