Gypsum industry news

US: USG Corporation has been named by EHS Today as one of its 2015 America's Safest Companies. The award recognises 16 companies that have demonstrated innovative solutions to safety challenges, exhibited strong management support and employee engagement programmes and achieved injury and illness rates lower than average for their respective industries.

"We are proud to be recognised by EHS Today for our dedication to creating the safest environment possible for our 9000 employees around the world," said Brian Cook, Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at USG. "Safety is a core value of our organisation and every employee is committed to working safely; every minute, every task and every day."

USG's manufacturing facilities routinely operate at five to 20 times better than industry safety norms. Twelve of the company's 34 US manufacturing locations and three of its L&W Supply distribution facilities have applied and qualified for the Operational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Programme (VPP) Star status. To attain the Star designation, USG employees and management work with OSHA to implement safety and health programmes and processes that go beyond regulations to further protect employees and promote safe operations.

"We developed and adhere to safety guidelines that exceed industry standards and regulations," said Paul Haney, Vice President, Global Safety and Health and Employee Relations and Chief Labour Counsel at USG. "At USG, we strive to create an injury-free workplace and model safe behaviours for our families, colleagues, customers and communities."

US: Londonderry-based Wallboard Supply Co, part of US LBM, has acquired Vermont-based Poulin Lumber. Poulin, based in Derby, Vermont, has supplied building products and hardware to homeowners and contractors since 1936. It has four locations in northern and central Vermont and sells engineered wood and wall panels, gypsum wallboard, insulation, roofing, moulding, windows, doors, fasteners, tools, kitchen and bath cabinetry and fixtures, as well as numerous lines of hardwood and laminate floors.

US: Kodiak Building Partners, in a switch from its past practice of buying established companies, has announced the creation of a new business: Freedom Materials, a distributor of wallboard and related materials in Newark, Delaware. Freedom will be led by Silvio Ferrari, who Kodiak CEO Steve Swinney said 'brings nearly 25 years of excellence in serving customers in the building materials industry.' Freedom will be Kodiak's first operation in the Mid-Atlantic. Its other gypsum companies are New England Building Supply, Colorado's Jones-Heartz Drywall and the Dallas-Fort Worth area's Architectural Opening Professionals.

US: The Port of Monroe and DTE Energy have officially announced a partnership for the port to manage synthetic gypsum, a by-product of the Monroe Power Plant in Michigan.

"This is more than an agreement, but a partnership for mutual prosperity," said Paul C LaMarre III, Port Director. The partnership will bring new jobs to the community and help grow the economy, officials said. About 30 full-time jobs will be created. The port will build a 24,000ft2 storage building on its property, allowing gypsum customers to have direct shipping access to the material year-round.

Brian Rice, Director of the Monroe Power Plant, said that the company has been seeking a partner for a while to manage gypsum. "We wanted to work with someone locally," said Rice.
The Monroe Power Plant is one of the five-largest coal plants in the country and is the only plant in Michigan operating the flue gas desulfurisation system. "The advantage to this agreement is that it allows us to recycle all of it," said Rice about the gypsum.

In 2014, DTE recycled more than 350,000t of gypsum. Monroe Mayor Robert E. Clark called the partnership 'a great opportunity' between partners who have already had a long established relationship. "Outbound cargo is being generated and our community is better for it," said LaMarre.

US: Continental Building Products' net sales fell to US$108m in the third quarter of 2015 from US$114m in the same period of 2014. Its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation was flat at US$33.7m. Wallboard sales fell by 3.9% year-on-year to 590Mm2, while the average sales price fell by 0.7%, mainly due to the weaker Canadian Dollar and regional sales mix. Gross profit grew by 7.2% year-on-year to US$30m, primarily as a result of strict cost controls and favourable energy costs. Operating income fell to US$11.1m from US$20.2m in the same quarter of 2014.