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Gypsum exports from Azerbaijan fall by 40.9%
Written by Global Gypsum staff
09 September 2015
Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan exported 36,920t of gypsum in the first half of 2015, some 40.9% less than in the same period of 2014 as reported by the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan. This was confirmed by the National Statistics Office of Georgia, which receives 100% of the Azerbaijani exports of gypsum.
According to the official figures of Azerbaijan, the declared revenue from gypsum sales abroad totalled US$566,580. However, Georgia has recorded US$5.1m of gypsum imports from Azerbaijan. Georgia has also reported that US$1.38m of gypsum was imported from Azerbaijan in July 2015. Azerbaijani customs issued the goods at the price of US$15.3/t, while in Georgia it was priced at US$138/t. In the first half of 2014, Azerbaijani gypsum was quoted in Georgia at the price of US$170/t.
In the first half of 2015, Azerbaijani gypsum production increased by 1.3% year-on-year to 92,200t, according to the State Statistics Committee. Azerbaijan also imports gypsum from Iran (860t) and Turkey (6.6t). One tonne of imported gypsum is registered for customs duties and taxes at the price of US$52.9/t, three times more expensive than in the first quarter of 2014.
Saint-Gobain announces new Indian plant
Written by Global Gypsum staff
04 September 2015
India: Saint Gobain Gyproc will set up a new US$60m manufacturing plant in India. "We have identified western India as suitable location for the new plant," said V Subramanian, Managing Director of Gypsum Business for Saint Gobain India. A final decision on the location will be taken by the end of 2015.
Gyproc India already has three manufacturing plants in the country in Jind (near Delhi), Wada (near Mumbai) and Bengaluru. The combined production capacity of these plants is about 46Mm2/yr. "Our capacity utilisation ratio is very high. The proposed new plant will add another 30Mm2/yr of capacity,'' added Subramanian.
Saint-Gobain revises turnover growth projection for 2015 in Brazil
Written by Global Gypsum staff
01 September 2015
Brazil: Saint-Gobain will revise its year-on-year turnover growth projection of 7% in Brazil for 2015 as it is expecting volume sales to be lower than 2014, according to Thierry Fournier, the firm's president for Brazil, Argentina and Chile. Turnover is expected to still grow but at a slower rate than 7%, according to Valor Economico.
The building materials producer had to lift prices in the first half of 2015 to compensate for rising energy and US dollar-linked raw material costs. Despite this the group still continues to gain market presence in some segments like drywall.
Saint-Gobain holds a diversified presence in Brazil with divisions manufacturing fibre cement, mortars, wallboard, insulation and glass.
Knauf International GmbH to acquire Gyptec assets
Written by Global Gypsum staff
28 August 2015
Colombia/Germany: Knauf International GmbH has announced that a definitive agreement has been signed with Gyptec, a Colombian wallboard producer, to acquire the assets of the company. As well as in Colombia, Gyptec has interests in Venezuela, Ecuador and Central America. The transaction also includes Hanetec, a supplier of building products associated with wallboards.
Serge Azaïs, member of the Knauf Management Committee in charge of South America, said, "It is a very significant move for our group to be part of the development of the northern part of South America, after our industrial presence for 15 years in Brazil and Argentina. We are extremely confident of the potential of this zone. We will very shortly increase capacity in order to deliver to Central America and the Caribbean countries from the facility in Cartagena. We look forward to welcoming the Colombian team into the Knauf family."
Boral annual profit up by nearly a half
Written by Global Gypsum staff
27 August 2015
Australia: Boral has recorded an increase in full-year profit, buoyed by the return to profitability of its US business for the first time since 2007, a pick-up in local demand and cost-cutting initiatives.
Australia's largest building materials provider posted a net profit of US$183m in the year to 30 June 2015, a 48.3% increase on the previous year's US$123m. Underlying profit rose by 45% to US$178m. However, Boral's total revenue over the same period fell by 15.2% to US$3.15bn.
Boral chief executive Mike Kane said that the results reflected the benefits from the company's overhaul of its business which reduced the size of its workforce and resulted in the closure of some unprofitable operations. "We've improved Boral's cost base, strengthened the balance sheet and we are managing our portfolio of businesses more efficiently," he said.
In the current 2016 fiscal year, Boral said it will focus on maintaining underlying earnings from construction, materials and cement, while property earnings remain uncertain. Building products are seen remaining broadly steady, while USGBoral will deliver further underlying improvement.