UK/Ireland: Knauf UK and Ireland’s haulage contractor Nicholls has switched to using renewably generated liquefied natural gas (LNG) to power its trucks. The transition should reduce Knauf’s Scope 3 emissions generated by transporting its raw materials and products. Knauf’s emissions from deliveries represent roughly 23% of all Scope 3 emissions for the UK business.

Nicholls started trialling LNG powered trucks in 2018 and then built a local refuelling site. It currently uses 29 trucks that run on LNG. The haulage company still uses diesel power vehicles for some routes depending on distance and infrastructure.

US: Eagle Materials’ consolidated sales were US$1.68bn during the first nine months of its 2023 financial year, up by 16% year-on-year from US$1.45bn in the corresponding period of the 2022 financial year. Its net earnings were US$361m, up by 20% year-on-year from US$300m.

In its gypsum wallboard business, the group noted increased sales volumes and prices, alongside a ‘sharp’ drop in raw material costs, during the third quarter of the 2023 financial year. Its gypsum wallboard volumes rose by 5% year-on-year to 67.6Mm² during the quarter. This resulted in a 23% rise in the business’ revenues, to US$235m.

US: Georgia-Pacific will close its 60Mm²/yr Quanah gypsum wallboard plant in Texas on 1 March 2023. Local press has reported that the plant employs 166 people. Georgia-Pacific first announced its planned closure in 2020.

Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan produced 42,600t of construction gypsum during 2022, up by 15% year-on-year from 2021 levels. There was 1900t of construction gypsum in warehouses at the end of the year.

The total value of building materials produced in Azerbaijan rose by 13% year-on-year in 2022, to US$635m.