Gypsum industry news

Senegal: UK-based modular construction firm Eco Buildings Group has formed a joint venture with facilities management and logistics company G2 Invest Group. G2 Invest Group has committed US$1.98m for a 35% stake in Eco Buildings Senegal, which will fund a new plant to produce Eco Buildings Group’s glass fibre-reinforced gypsum (GRFG) wallboards in Senegal. Eco Buildings Group says that it has appointed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor to implement the production facility.

Eco Buildings Group CEO Sanjay Bowry said "We are now entering the execution phase,” and noted the company’s “readiness to deliver modular housing at scale in West Africa."

A delegation from G2 Invest visited Eco Buildings' existing plant in Albania earlier in 2025. The companies will collaborate on plant setup, technology transfer and a workforce training programme.

UK: Adaptavate has formed a strategic partnership with lime producer SigmaRoc to industrially scale production of its Breathaboard calcium carbonate-based wallboard, with 4kg/m²-reduced CO₂ emissions. The partners will collaborate on the establishment of a supply chain throughout Europe. Additionally, they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for an upcoming industrial demonstrator plant project.

Adaptavate concluded its €3.16m pre-Series A funding round on 23 April 2025, with investments from SigmaRoc via its venture capital platform Skreenhouse Ventures.

Mexico: Researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico have developed Sargapanel, a sargassum seaweed-based alternative wallboard. The team says that Sargapanels can replace traditional gypsum-based boards and tiles in wall and ceiling applications. It can also help to clear Mexico’s Caribbean beaches of the common organic deposit.

US: Xeriant has partnered with a ‘leading US-based compounding facility’ for lab-scale production and testing of its Nexboard alternative wallboard. Dow Jones Institutional News has reported that the collaboration will centre on modification of Nexboard’s intumescent system. The aim is to increase its fire resistance in line with the NFPA 286 fire test-based safety standard for interior wall and ceiling finishes.

Xeriant CEO Keith Duffy said "This collaboration leverages decades of experience in processing and testing plastic composite formulations. Their vast knowledge base, combined with the ability to produce and test small samples, allows us to compress the product development life cycle, lowering costs and shortening the timeline to full-scale production."

US: Xeriant will begin to produce its Nexboard alternative wallboard for sale at some time in the near-term future after making further recipe adjustments focused on ensuring fire safety. The company has contracted large-scale production to a ‘well-established’ producer, with which it is currently in the setup stage. It is also in talks with a bank about finance.

CEO Keith Duffy said "After initial fire testing at a national certification laboratory in June 2024, we engaged a polymer chemist to refine Nexboard's composition with a focus on passing the rigorous NFPA 286 fire safety test. This step followed several modifications in the base material and fire-retardant compositions and the finalisation of a production method that ensures the highest-volume, best quality and lowest-cost output. This extensive research and testing over many months has led us to believe that the additional changes will enable Nexboard to meet or even surpass the existing code requirements for building materials used in our targeted applications."