Gypsum industry news

Germany: Gebr Pfeiffer will build a MPS 160 B vertical roller mill at the Siniat Hartershofen gypsum wallboard plant. The mill will replace the existing Pfeiffer MPS 125 A at the site. The new mill will be set up in an annex next to the old grinding plant and the majority of the existing equipment will be reused.

The scope of services comprises delivery of the mill, adjusting equipment including a hot gas generator, process ducting, electrics, buildings and foundations, including installation and connection works as well as integration into the existing process. Switch-over and commissioning of the grinding plant is planned for December 2016.

Vietnam: Knauf Vietnam has launched StandardShield, a locally-produced brand of gypsum wallboard made at its plant at Hai Phon. The event was marked with a ceremony for clients and press at Ho Chi Minh City on 8 July 2016.

"After two years of operation, with product presence in key areas, we believe this is really the good time for us to supply the market with local products," said David Victor Thomas, General Director of Knauf Vietnam. "This is our special gift for all our valued customers, aimed at expressing our deep gratitude with their continuous support and cooperation in recent years."

Knauf StandardShield is 9.5mm thick with dimensions of 1220 x 2440mm and 1210 x 2420mm. The product is promoted as having high performance in terms of flexural strength, sag and nail pull resistance that passes all requirements of TCVN 8256:2009 and ASTM C1396.

Knauf Vietnam started commissioning at its local wallboard plant March 2016. The plant has a production capacity of 20Mm²/yr.

Canada: The Canadian Gypsum Company has stopped gypsum mining for the summer at its Little Narrows quarry in Cape Breton. A local councillor quoted by the Cape Breton Post newspaper said that mining has now stopped for the year. However he didn't believe that the company had yet decided whether to shut down the site completely. He added that synthetic gypsum taken from the power plants was replacing natural gypsum at gypsum wallboard plants along the east coast of the US.

In January 2016 the subsidiary of USG laid off 14 winter maintenance workers at the site.

Cuba: Rose Gypsum has won a tendering process to enter into negotiations to manufacture calcined gypsum, interior panels and ceiling panels and other gypsum based materials for the construction industry in Cuba.

Rose Gypsum said was selected on the grounds of its technical and professional expertise, following its negotiations with both Empresa Materiales De Construccion Ciego de Avila (EMC), the local state company responsible for the project and the Cuban Ministry of Construction (MICONS). The commencement of negotiations is scheduled to take place in Cuba in July 2016. Rose Gypsum is negotiating to become the joint operator, distributor and manufacturer on the project. If Rose Gypsum is successful in completing the deal, it will become the sole manufacturer of gypsum related products operating in Cuba.

"I am delighted with the progress we have made and I'm extremely excited about the opportunity we have to be involved in the rapidly expanding construction industry in Cuba and the redevelopment of the country. I am looking forward to the next phase of the negotiations and hope that we can conclude a successful transaction," said Matthew Idiens, CEO of Rose Gypsum.

Colombia: Etex Group intends to invest US$77m in its Colombian production plants in the next few years. Currently, the firm operates on the local market through gypsum wallboard producer Gyplac and cement producer Skinco Colombit. The expansion plans are expected to create up to 1000 direct and indirect jobs accord to the Portfolio newspaper.