Gypsum industry news

India: Gypsum consumption in India is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 4% during 2012 – 2018 according to the latest market reports. The growing demand for gypsum, due to the amplified construction activity, high cement consumption and extensive use of gypsum in fertilisers and ceramic products, has resulted in escalating gypsum consumption.

Russia: According to the Ecological Watch for Northern Caucasus (EcoWatch), a gypsum plant is being built in the dwelling settlement of Kamennomostsky, Republic of Adygea that poses a danger to local residents and tourists. Ecologists have sent their appeals to supervisory authorities and bodies of power.

On 10 June 2014 EcoWatch received an appeal from the residents of Kamennomostsky and the neighbouring settlements of Abadzekh, in which they expressed their concerns about the fact that the operation of the plant will be 'a source of serious pollution of the environment.'

"The plant will use local water sources, which are scant," said Aslan Dzubov, the lawyer of a large peasant farm in Kamennomostsky. "Both crops and locals are severely affected by water pollution." He emphasised that he is not against the construction of the plant as such, but that it is necessary to choose a different location for it.

The EcoWatch sent official requests to the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Adygea, the regional department of the Russian Federal Agency for Consumer Supervision and the environment protection department asking them to conduct an inspection.

Vietnam: Knauf Vietnam has introduced Duc Nam Construction and Trading Company as its first gypsum wallboard distributor in Hanoi in northern Vietnam. This is its second distributor in Vietnam after assigning one in the Cuu Long Delta region. Having received an investment license in 2013, Knauf Vietnam is building a 12Mm²/yr capacity gypsum wallboard plant worth US$40.7m in the northern province of Haiphong.

India: Engineering firm Pennar Industries Ltd has announced that its subsidiaries, Pennar Engineered Building Systems (PEBS Pennar) and Pennar Enviro Ltd (PEL), have received US$17.5m of orders, including a gypsum storage unit for UltaTech Cement in Gujarat State.

"Pennar is pleased to announce receipt of orders worth US$17.5m from prestigious customers," said Pennar's vice chairman and managing director Aditya Rao. "All business units are focused on gaining market share and maintaining operating margins. We believe that as the macro-economic conditions improve, our positioning will ensure that we benefit in revenue and even gain market share."

Brazil: Knauf has inaugurated its second wallboard plant in Camacri, Bahia. The US$66m plant will increase the company's annual production in Brazil by 80% to 45Mm²/yr. The company has forecast a 15% increase in sales volume in 2014, with the new plant supplying the north, north east and part of the central west regions of the country, with the possibility of exporting to the Caribbean and Africa. The plant is expected to be operating at full capacity within four to five years.