Gypsum industry news

US: Lowe's has concluded a deal to acquire Foundation Building Materials for US$8.8bn. Foundation Building Materials is a distributor of gypsum wallboard and other building products. Baystreet News has reported that the deal marks Lowe's second acquisition in the residential construction segment so far in 2025.

US: Alternative wallboard developer Xeriant has scheduled a limited production run of its recycled plastic and fibre-based Nexboard with a contract producer. Construction & Demolition Recycling News has reported that the production run will take place in August 2025.

Xeriant CEO Keith Duffy said "We are very pleased with the performance of Nexboard's fire resistance and other properties after incorporating our proprietary nanotechnology. We continue to receive strong interest from global construction leaders who are actively seeking non-toxic, fire- and water-resistant alternatives to gypsum wallboard, wood-based and cementitious panels. The latest formulation's success validates years of research and development investment, positioning Xeriant to capture market share in both traditional construction and emerging smart building applications, where performance and sustainability are paramount."

India: Saint-Gobain has commenced construction of its upcoming Oragadam gypsum wallboard plant near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The plant will also produce plaster, as well as mineral wool insulation, acoustic insulation panels and float glass. The Times of India newspaper has reported that the plant is France-based Saint-Gobain’s largest investment in the Asia-Pacific Region to date.

Saint-Gobain Asia Pacific Regional Senior Vice-President and CEO Sreedhar Natarajan noted the upcoming plant’s reliance on automation technology to ‘Enhance our ability to deliver high-performance and differentiated solutions to our customers.’

Saudi Arabia: National Gypsum Company’s sales were US$8.77m in the first half of 2025, up by 0.1% year-on-year. Its profit grew by 1%, to US$456,000. The producer noted that increased market demand offset a rise in its operating costs.

Uzbekistan: China-based Sinoma Energy Conservation has participated in discussions with the Uzbek government over potential gypsum exploration projects in Jizzakh Region. Trend News has reported that other topics under discussion between the parties included wind turbine production and the establishment of an energy hub. They now plan to move ahead with ‘preparatory activities’ for the proposed projects.