Gypsum industry news

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.

Azerbaijan: Gypsum producers achieved a total output of 13,000t of gypsum in the first eight months of 2020, up by 1.3% year-on-year from 12,800t over the corresponding period of 2019. Total building materials production fell by 1.8% in value to US$293m from US$298m.

France: Saint-Gobain is among 157 businesses which signed a letter to European Union (EU) members’ governments urging the enactment of higher 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. The letter calls on all EU leaders to target a reduction of 55% by 2030 in line with the European Green deal.

Chair and chief executive officer (CEO) Pierre-André de Chalendar said, “The right decisions now can help create and protect healthy, thriving and fair communities and secure a roadmap for a prosperous economy. From a business and investor perspective, clarity on the net zero transition pathway and timetables for each sector - as well as policy that enables substantial investments in carbon neutral solutions - is essential. This in turn would provide us with the confidence needed to invest decisively at the necessary pace and scale to reduce emissions, create decent green jobs, drive innovation, and accelerate the rebuilding of a resilient zero carbon economy."

India: France-based Saint-Gobain has opened a 600-bed coronavirus hospital in a converted office building in Surat, Gujarat. The total building time for the project was just 17 days, which the company said was ‘due to the choice of materials, namely gypsum wallboard over bricks and mortar.’ The Hindu BusinessLine newspaper has reported that the company used 4830m² of gypsum wallboard to build partition walls throughout the eight-storey building, in accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.