Gypsum industry news

Russia: UGMK’s Nadezhdinsky metallurgical plant in Serov will soon become a source of gypsum, following the installation of a flue gas desulphurisation system. Metals Daily News has reported that commissioning is scheduled for 2027.

US: The US construction industry is reportedly bracing for heightened labour shortages amid on-going federal enforcement actions against suspected illegal immigrants. Forbes has reported that sections of the workforce are ‘shaken,’ with some builders at one San Francisco firm avoiding certain tasks or not coming to work at all. Authorities have already deported three of the firm’s workers.

The National Association of Home Builders has proposed a new visa programme for construction workers and supportive pathways to legal residency for those already working in the industry. 61% of gypsum wallboard installers in the US were born in other countries.

The on-going US construction labour shortage reportedly cost the industry US$10.8bn in 2024, reducing new single-family homebuilding by 19,000 units.

Canada: Minerals company EDM Resources has entered a definitive gypsum offtake agreement with a ‘large, vertically-integrated’ gypsum and gypsum wallboard producer for the supply of US$58m-worth of gypsum from its Scotia mine near Halifax, Nova Scotia. Under the terms of the agreement, the buyer will make an advance payment of US$250,000 for five-year exclusivity on gypsum from the mine. The agreement is based on projected volumes over a 10-year period and covers half of the mine’s 5.1Mt reserves, including 1.53Mt of 93% purity and 3.65Mt of 91% purity gypsum.

EDM Resources President and CEO Mark Haywood said "We are very pleased to secure this third revenue stream opportunity for our Scotia Mine, in addition to other minerals streams."

Philippines: The Tariff Commission has ordered that anti-dumping duties of 9% be imposed on imports of gypsum wallboard from Thailand for a period of five years. The commission has found that imports caused ‘material injury’ to domestic gypsum wallboard production. In specifying the rate of duties, the commission named two Thai exporters of gypsum wallboard in particular: Gypman Tech Company and Thai Gypsum Products.

During the period under investigation (January 2019 – September 2024), dumped gypsum wallboard accounted for 71% of imports.

India: Knauf India has launched its Knauf Mobile Training Academy to contribute to skill-building and industry excellence. The ‘classroom-on-wheels’ will deliver a programme based on practical, on-site instruction on the installation of gypsum wallboard and ceiling across Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities in India. Knauf India aims to reach 25,000 builders over a period of six months. The company says that the programme aligns with the government’s Skill India workplace training initiative.

CEO Sumit Bidani said "We aim to bridge the existing skill gap, align with national initiatives like Skill India, and contribute meaningfully to the growth and modernisation of the construction sector."