India: NTPC has ordered flue-gas desulfurisation (FGD) systems from Japan’s Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems for its Mouda-II and Rihand-II & III coal-fired power plants. This is the first order of a limestone-gypsum FGD system for the Indian market, according to JCN Newswire. The installations are scheduled for completion in 2021 and 2022 respectively. No value for the order has been disclosed.

These projects are ordered through MHPS' Indian subsidiary and included engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) arrangements. The order comprises two 660MW units for the Mouda-II plant, and four 500MW units for the Rihand-II & III plant, for a combined output of 3320MW. The FGD systems will be additional installations to the existing power generating facilities, supporting the design of a spray-type desulfurisation system handled by MHPS' Indian subsidiary.

Australia: Boral’s chief executive officer, Mike Kane, expects that its USG Boral joint venture’s earnings will grow by 10% in its financial year to the end of June 2019. He told shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting that improvements in markets in China, Indonesia, Thailand and India would counteract slowing residential construction in Australia and South Korea, according to the Australian newspaper. He also said that Boral is conducting two valuations of USG Boral following the merger of USG and Knauf. The company is considering whether to buy the other half of the joint venture or whether to find another partner.

US: Eagle Materials’ sales revenue from gypsum wallboard rose in the first half of its financial year to 30 September 2018 due to higher prices. Its revenue from wallboard grew by 9% year-on-year to US$272m from US$250m. Its wallboard sales volumes increased by 3% to 124Mm² from 121Mm². The building materials producer said that Hurricane Florence had disrupted its southeastern markets reducing salese in the second quarter. Overall, the company’s sales across all businesses rose.

Belgium: Gyproc Belgium has installed a new mill to grind natural gypsum at its Kallo wallboard plant. The unit will continue to use flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) gypsum sourced from coal-fired power stations but the company is preparing for future changes in supply, according to the HLN newspaper.