Gypsum industry news

France/Switzerland: Saint-Gobain has extended its agreements with the Burkard family relating to the sale of the shares of Schenker-Winkler Holding (SWH), which holds the majority of Sika voting rights, to 31 December 2017. Saint-Gobain will then have the right to extend the agreement up until 31 December 2018. The building products manufacturer said that that the further extension reflected its determination to eventually buy Sika.

Saint-Gobain has attempted to buy Sika since at least 2014. An attempt to transfer shares of Sika from the Burkard family was blocked by a Swiss court in late 2016.

Switzerland: The Board of Directors of Sika has made a series of management changes that will take effect from 1 April 2017.

Thomas Hasler, the Chief Technology Officer, has been appointed as the Head of Industry. The Target Market Industry serves the markets automobile and commercial vehicle industry, automotive aftermarket, renewable energies, and facade engineering. The new position will also include responsibility for the two global business units Automotive and Tooling & Composites.

Yumi Kan, the Head Building Systems & Industry, has been appointed as the Head of Construction which will include markets in concrete, waterproofing, refurbishment, sealing and bonding, flooring and roofing. Combining these markets is intended to enable Sika to strengthen its services for global customers and key accounts as well as for large construction projects with cross-selling potential.

Ernesto Schuemperli, the Head of Concrete & Waterproofing, has been appointed as the Head of Infrastructure & Mining, directly reporting to the chief executive officer. He will also support the change to the new organisation of the target markets.

Frank Hoefflin, currently the Technology Head of Thermoplastic Systems, has been appointed as the Chief Technology Officer and member of group management. Hoefflin joined Sika in the USA and has worked in both the USA and Switzerland in various research and development functions. He holds a PhD from the University of Freiburg in Germany and is a US and German citizen.

Heinz Gisel, currently the Regional Manager for Asia/Pacific, has decided to step down from his position in order to take a sabbatical. Gisel will return in the second half of 2017 and assume a new position within Sika.

Mike Campion, currently Head of Area Greater China, has been appointed as the Regional Manager of Asia/Pacific and member of the group management. Campion joined Sika in the USA and has held several management positions in the USA and China. He holds a degree in Science from Villanova University, Pennsylvania, and is a US citizen.

Belgium: Revenue from Etex's Building Performance division rose slightly to Euro1.44bn in 2016 from Euro1.43bn in 2015. The division produces gypsum wallboard as well as fibre cement boards and other dry construction materials. The group said that it had posted sound results in 2016, particularly in Europe, its largest market, where it performed within expectations.

However, the company's overall revenue fell by 5.6% year-on-year to Euro2.88bn from Euro3.05bn. It blamed this on the sale of its ceramics floor and wall tiles business in Latin America and unfavourable exchange rates. On a like-for-like basis it said that its revenue rose by 1.5% in the period. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 10.4% to Euro404m from Euro366m.

UK: Smithers Apex predicts that the global synthetic gypsum market is due to reach 220Mt/yr by 2027 from a 151M/yr in 2017. A new report by the market research company forecasts modest growth in the US, a decline in Europe and growth in China over the next 10 years. At present the current supply of synthetic gypsum is mostly based in theses countries and they accounted for 96% of worldwide supply in 2014.

"The synthetic gypsum industry is at a very interesting and dynamic point in time. The outlook for the next 10 years is positive, but not without threats. Opportunities abound for new applications, coupled with an increased supply. Innovation is coming in the form of research into the raw material," said Robert C Grupe, Jr, the author of the 'Future of Synthetic Gypsum: Market Forecasts to 2027' report.

An example of a major driver of the synthetic gypsum market is government regulations controlling coal-fired power plants. Sustainability requirements for the design and construction of new buildings can also encourage demand for products made with synthetic gypsum.

China: China National Building Material Company's (CNDM) gypsum wallboard sales volumes rose by 13.1% year-on-year to 1.64Bnm² in 2016. Sales revenue from the group's lightweight building materials section, that produces wallboard, rose by 8% to US$1.12bn in 2016 from US$1.03bn in 2015. The building materials producer said that improved marketing had helped it maintain its lead as the largest wallboard producer in China. The group runs BNBM and Taishan Gypsum.