Gypsum industry news

US: Georgia-Pacific has begun construction of a 65Mm²/yr gypsum wallboard plant adjacent to its existing 30Mm²/yr Sweetwater gypsum wallboard plant in Nolan County, Texas. The company says that the plant will start production in late 2022, following a total investment of US$285m and it will employ 120 people.

President Brent Paugh said, “The demand for our diverse gypsum products continues to be strong, especially in Texas. By having two production lines in Nolan County, Georgia-Pacific can strengthen its capacity to meet our growing customer needs in Texas’ residential, commercial and industrial construction.”

Australia: France-based Saint-Gobain is reportedly considering the purchase of Germany-based Knauf’s US$284m Australian gypsum wallboard business. The Australian newspaper has also named Saint-Gobain as a potential buyer of USG Boral’s US$2.48bn US business. Separately, China National Building Material (CNBM) has been linked to the Knauf sale. Any such deals would be subject to anti-competitiveness checks.

India: USG Boral India hosted a virtual event for the launch of its new Sheetrock gypsum wallboard on 14 October 2020. The company said that the product is suited to a range of interior applications.

UK: Belgium-based Etex has announced its acquisition of FSi Limited, a leading UK supplier of intumescent sealants and ablative-coated stonewool batts, which generated an operating profit of Euro22.0m in 2019. The new subsidiary produces its firestopping materials in Cowdenbeath, Fife, West Thurrock, Essex and Measham, Leicestershire, where it is headquartered.

The group said, “The move strengthens Etex’s ability to provide comprehensive lightweight construction solutions for clients through its building performance division, in particular complementing its Siniat and Promat brands, which provide plasterboard and passive fire protection systems respectively. The acquisition also supports Etex’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM) solutions for industrial clients through its industry division.”

US: American Pacific Borates (ABR) has shared plans to begin mining natural gypsum at its Fort Cady borate mine around Barstow in San Bernardino County, California. The company says that it will extract its first batch for sale to the gypsum wallboard industry in mid 2021.

The Fort Cady borate mine works the world’s largest borate deposit. It also yields boron-enriched sulphate of potash for use as an agricultural fertiliser.