Gypsum industry news

Japan: Chiyoda-Ute plans to mark the packaging of its gypsum wallboard product with a ‘green electricity’ mark when it has been manufactured at a plant using electricity generated from a renewable source. The company first started using electricity supplied from sustainable sources at its Yokkaichi wallboard plant in April 2023. It intends to extend this to its other plants in the near future.

Canada/UK: Canada-based Solex Thermal Science has purchased UK-based Econotherm for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition is intended to expand Solex’s capacity to help its customers reduce the primary energy consumed to produce industrial goods
Lowy Gunnewiek, the chief executive officer at Solex, said “We at Solex are passionate about working with customers to understand their operational needs. Today’s announcement broadens our overall business portfolio to provide our global client base with an even deeper suite of best-in-class, sustainable solutions that align with their respective environmental, social and governance strategies.”

Solex Thermal Science sells indirect heat exchange products for the heating, cooling and drying of free-flowing granular materials such as solid granules, pellets, beans, seeds and particles. Since 1989 the company has installed more than 900 heat exchangers in more than 50 countries worldwide with applications such as fertiliser, oilseeds and industrial materials such as minerals, sands, chemicals and polymers. More recently it has expanded into the energy-transition sector with collaborations on decarbonisation applications such as industrial waste heat recovery, concentrated solar power and carbon capture.

Econotherm manufactures heat pipe waste heat recuperators, economisers, pre-heaters, steam generators and steam condensers. The company’s patented super conductor heat pipe technology is used in a wide range of applications across many industrial sectors. Its references include supplying a gas to air heat pre-heater on a gypsum kettle exhaust to British Gypsum.

US: Xeriant says that it has successfully tested a high-volume production process for its Nexboard alternative wallboard. The wallboard is made of recycled plastic content, and is 100% recyclable.

Recycling Today News has reported that CEO Keith Duffy said “The industry is desperate for a viable green alternative to gypsum board as part of a transition toward greater efficiency, safety and sustainability in building design. Drywall has essentially remained unchanged for over a century and is extremely vulnerable to moisture and mold. Our homebuilder clients are anxious to receive and approve our production samples so we can execute pending contracts and begin our quest to disrupt the building materials industry.”

Azerbaijan: Total national gypsum production was 36,500t during the first half of 2023, according to the State Statistics Committee. This corresponds to a 96% year-on-year rise from first-half 2022 levels.

US: CertainTeed plans to invest US$235m in an expansion to its 84Mm²/yr Palatka gypsum wallboard plant in Florida. The La Tribune newspaper has reported that the Saint-Gobain subsidiary will install a second production line to double the plant’s capacity. The company will also carry out work to increase the plant’s energy efficiency.