Gypsum industry news

US: The US construction industry is reportedly bracing for heightened labour shortages amid on-going federal enforcement actions against suspected illegal immigrants. Forbes has reported that sections of the workforce are ‘shaken,’ with some builders at one San Francisco firm avoiding certain tasks or not coming to work at all. Authorities have already deported three of the firm’s workers.

The National Association of Home Builders has proposed a new visa programme for construction workers and supportive pathways to legal residency for those already working in the industry. 61% of gypsum wallboard installers in the US were born in other countries.

The on-going US construction labour shortage reportedly cost the industry US$10.8bn in 2024, reducing new single-family homebuilding by 19,000 units.

US/Canada: The costs of construction of new single-family homes are set to rise by US$7500 – 10,000/unit, according to the National Association of Home Builders. This is due to the government’s introduction of a new 25% tariff on Canadian gypsum wallboard and its raising of the tariff on softwood lumber to the same level from 14.5%.

US: The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) says that more than 71% of the US’ total annual imports of gypsum originate in Mexico. The association has highlighted the possibility of ‘scarcity and an acute, sustained rise in building materials costs’ as a result of new tariffs. The US government imposed 25% duties on products from Mexico and fellow North American country, Canada, on 4 March 2025.

NAHB said that it will ‘continue to seek a tariff exemption for building materials.’