US: Eagle Materials’ sales from its Light Materials division rose slightly to US$153m in the first quarter of its financial year to 30 June 2020. Gypsum wallboard sales revenue growth offset declines in paperboard sales. However, earnings fell by 8% to US$44m. Gypsum wallboard sales grew by 7% to 65Mm2. Overall, the group’s revenue and earnings rose.

“While we are very pleased with our first-quarter performance, we recognise a high level of uncertainty persists in our markets and the overall economy: despite the decline in jobless claims from the March peak, total unemployment remains historically high; state and local governments face ongoing revenue pressure, which could have the potential to constrain infrastructure budgets; and, in some geographic areas important to our business, Covid-19 case numbers continue to escalate,” said Michael Haack, president and chief executive officer (CEO).
The group announced plans in May 2019 to split its Heavy Materials and Light Materials divisions into two independent businesses. However, it says the timing remains ‘uncertain.’

Switzerland: Sika recorded a net profit of Euro257m in the first half of 2020, down by 17% year-on-year from Euro308m in the first half of 2019. Net sales were Euro3.37bn, down by 3.2% from Euro3.48bn. Sika attributed the sales decline to negative currency effects. Decreased sales volumes in March 2020 through to May 2020 as a result of the coronavirus outbreak hampered profitability, according to the company. It said that the end of lockdowns in markets across the globe brought a return to organic growth in June 2020.

France: Building Material Group (BMG) plans to build a 30Mm²/yr gypsum wallboard plant in Marseille. It has signed a lease with the port of Marseille Fos for a six-hectare plot of land at Caban, Fos-sur-Mer. The project has a budget to Euro60m and construction will start in 2020. Commissioning is scheduled for late 2022.

Canada: CertainTeed Canada plans to close its McAdam gypsum wallboard plant in New Brunswick by the end of February 2021. It said that the decision was made after ‘an extensive review of our business,’ according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). 50 employees are expected to lose their jobs, although the subsidiary of France-based Saint-Gobain says it will try to find roles at other CertainTeed and Saint-Gobain plants for them.
Production will stop at the unit at the end of August 2020. The plant will then continue using inventory until February 2021 with a skeleton staff. The plant was reported to be operating at 22 – 25% production capacity. The closure has been blamed on a decline for wallboard products in the Atlantic Canada region and elsewhere.