Colombia: Etex has appointed Agustin Cozzi as the top manager in Gyplac, a manufacturer of plasterboards based in Cartagena. The change follows the retirement of Felipe Montes after 23 years as head of Skinco Colombit. Mauricio Lopez, who was previously a manager at Gyplac, has become the top manager of Skinco Colombit, a firm with a factory for fibre cement products in Manizales. Miguel Fernando Rangel has been appointed as Etex's new top manager at the helm of Ceramica San Lorenzo, a manufacturer of floor and wall tiles in Sopo.

US: Gypsum Management and Supply Inc (GMS) has made a strategic entrance into the California and Hawaii markets by acquiring San Diego-based J&B Materials Inc and its affiliated Hawaiian operation, Pono Building Materials LLC.

"We are pleased to bring J&B Materials and Pono Building Materials into the GMS family," said Mike Callahan, president of GMS. "Their commitment to delivering exceptional service, knowledgeable personnel and an expansive product suite with a focus on safety fits well within our culture. This partnership provides us with an excellent opportunity to expand our service area into California and Hawaii while enhancing our West Coast coverage."

J&B Materials has locations in El Cajon, Escondido, Riverside and El Centro in California and one in Honolulu, Hawaii. J&B offers a wide variety of building products including wallboard, stucco, lath and plaster and fasteners among others.

Don Taylor, the GMS vice president of operations for the western region, sees the acquisition as a key step in growing the GMS footprint in California and the whole southwestern US. "We feel that J&B, with its exceptional customer relationships and strong brand name, will be a key component to further expansion. With Bob and Jeff Young joining our team, this will give us the additional management depth to continue our growth," said Taylor.

US: Al Mueller has joined the PABCO Building Products LLC board of managers with effect from 1 April 2015. Following Mueller's retirement as PABCO's president, he served on the Basalite Concrete Products LLC board of managers and will continue to do so going forward. Mueller gained a wealth of experience in the gypsum, roofing and paper industries, while providing leadership during his tenure as PABCO's president. His knowledge and expertise of both the industry and the operations will be a very valuable addition to the board.

US: Transnational Group Inc has exchanged executed Letters of Intent with Nevada Outdoor School to secure rights to mine gypsum on several claims located in southern Nevada that comprise Mount Vista Gypsum Property. Transnational Group expects the project to yield over 600,000t/yr of gypsum and could begin producing during the third quarter of 2015.