Gypsum industry news

US: Eagle Materials has recorded consolidated sales in its 2022 financial year of US$1.9bn, up by 15% year-on-year. The group’s adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was US$657m, up by 15%. Full-year light materials sales totalled US$804m, up by 27%, with gypsum wallboard and paperboard operating earnings of US$274m, up by 42%. The group sold 269Mm2 of gypsum wallboard, up by 3% year-on-year.

President and CEO Michael Haack said "As we look back on another extraordinary year, I am extremely proud of our team's ability to deliver record operating and financial results despite multiple external challenges, including transportation disruptions, supply chain constraints and, of course, continuing to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic.” He added "As we begin our new fiscal year, Eagle is well-positioned, both financially and geographically, to capitalise on the underlying demand fundamentals that are expected to support steady and sustainable construction activity growth over the near and long term. We expect that infrastructure investment should increase in the latter part of our fiscal year, as federal funding from the recently enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act begins in earnest. And, despite recent interest rate increases, housing demand remains strong across our geographies, outpacing the supply of homes. Nonresidential construction activity is also picking up."

Ukraine: The Russian military has reportedly damaged Knauf’s Donbass gypsum wallboard plant in an airstrike. Ukrainian Donetsk regional military administration chief Pavlo Kyrylenko posted on social media on 17 May 2022 that firefighters were working to contain and quell the blaze at the plant in Donetsk Region. Nobody was injured in the attack.

Knauf sent home the Knauf Gips Donbass plant’s 589 employees ‘as a precaution’ at the outbreak of war on 24 February 2022.

Knauf maintains 14 facilities with a total of 3900 employees in Russia.

US: The US Department of Energy has awarded CertainTeed its 2022 Better Project Award for the company’s installation of a 15,000t/yr production scrap paper recycling system at its Silver Grove, Kentucky, gypsum wallboard plant. The plant recycles ground paper and gypsum from the system in its gypsum wallboard production.

CertainTeed vice president environmental, social and governance North America and Saint-Gobain circular economy solutions managing director Dennis Wilson said "Our recycling technology in Silver Grove allows us to reduce our waste, reduce our consumption of natural resources and also reduce our production costs - all while continuing to produce the best gypsum wallboard product on the market.” Wilson continued “We will continue to look for ways to minimise our environmental footprint while striving to maximise our company's positive impact for our customers and the communities where we operate."

Hungary: Slovakia-based Stavmat Epitoanyag Kereskedelmi has produced its first batch of wallboard from recycled drinks cartons at its Kaposvar pilot plant in Somogy County. MTI – EcoNews has reported that the company plans to install two further production lines at the site by January 2023.

The full-scale plant will cost US$10.6m, employ 20 people and consume 50 – 70t/yr of waste drinks cartons. Stavmat Epitoanyag Kereskedelmi plans to establish a carton collection service across Southern Transdanubia. The present commissioning may lead to the establishment of a second, 10-line plant at a cost of US$21.2m.

Russia: Volma has reported increased demand for gypsum wallboard as well as other products including its plasters in the first quarter of 2022. It says it has compensated for economic sanctions imposed by countries in European Union by raising exports to countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States although its key market remains in Russia. However, it fixed its prices in March 2022 to support the local construction sector. In 2021 the building materials company invested around Euro7m towards upgrading its plants. One of the largest projects was the installation at its Voskresensk plant of a new gypsum furnace, which it says it the largest in Europe.