Ukraine: Gross gypsum exports in the first five months of 2011 amounted to 27056 tons, bringing in USD2.01m. In May the country exported 6946t of gypsum, worth USD658,000. The values represent a 23% decrease in tonnage compared to the same period of 2010 and a financial decrease of 54.4%. May 2011 brought in 50.2% less than May 2010 in financial terms.

The leading exporters of gypsum in May 2011 were Knauf Gips Donbass LLC, Gipsovik OJSC, Ivano-Frankovsjiy Cement, Slate Combine OJSC and Mamalyzhskiy Gypsum Plant OJSC. The leading importer was Budfarfor Slavutsk Combine CJSC.

Saudi Arabia: National Gypsum Company has released its financial results for the year to 31 December 2010, which show a significant decline in its performance compared to 2009. The company's net profit was down by 40.7% to USD 14m. Sales were down by 24% from USD 54.1m in 2009 to USD 41.1m in 2010.

France: Lafarge's Olivier Guilluy has said that the company will not decide on a winning bid for its gypsum unit before September 2011. The business, reportedly valued at around Euro800m, has attracted around 10 serious bids from a variety of established gypsum wallboard producers and new players.

"In principle there will be no decision before the back-to-school season (in September)," said Guilluy. "A price has not yet been set for the division." In June 2010, local press reported that private equity funds, including Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Carlyle, were in the running alongside industrial buyers including US-based Eagle Materials.Sources close to the situation have said the gypsum unit may be sold by geographic zone, split into Europe, North America and Asia, depending on whether antitrust rules complicate the sale or not.

Despite the high level of interest, Guilluy added that Lafarge may yet scrap the sale, depending on a decision to be made by its CEO Bruno Lafont. Guilluy said, "The unit generated about 9% of group sales in 2010, with revenue of Euro1.4bn and a current operating profit of Euro58m."

France: The Annual General Meeting of Compagnie de Saint-Gobain shareholders was held on 9 June 2011 in Paris. Gérard Merstrallet and Denis Ranque were re-elected to the board of directors. Mrs Anne-Marie Idrac, Mrs Olivia Qiu and Mr Jacques Pestre were elected as directors to replace Robert Chevrier, Yuko Harayama and Bernard Cusenier respectively. Shareholders also approved the payment of a dividend of Euro1.15 per share (up 15% on the year), paid entirely in cash.