US: Ann Franzen, the plant manager of USG’s gypsum wallboard plant in Rainier, Oregon has been recognised by the Manufacturing Institute as part of its annual Science, Technology, Engineering and Production (STEP) Ahead Awards. This marks the fourth consecutive year a USG employee has received this honour for her contributions to the manufacturing industry. The STEP Ahead Awards honour women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory-floor to the executive level.

Franzen, a STEP Ahead Honouree, joined USG more than 20 years ago. She became USG’s first female plant manager and has played a role in USG’s lean management initiative. Franzen is also a founding member of USG’s Women in Manufacturing group, which connects female plant employees across the USG network and promotes career advancement.

The STEP Ahead Awards are part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative, launched to examine and promote the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research, and leadership for attracting, advancing, and retaining strong female talent. In five years, STEP Ahead Award winners have impacted more than 300,000 individuals — from peers in the industry to school-aged children. The Manufacturing Institute will recognize all 130 recipients of the STEP Ahead Awards on 10 April 2018 at a reception in Washington, DC.

France: Saint-Gobain’s Interior Solutions division sales rose by 4.6% year-on-year to Euro6.88bn in 2017 from Euro6.58bn in 2016. However, its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 3% to Euro953m form Euro982m. The group said that its division sales grew faster in the second half of the year, driven by growth in Asia and emerging countries. Volumes continued to pick up in Western Europe, especially in France. Trading in North America improved in the second half. Prices rose ‘significantly’, with an acceleration over the course of the year, but remained behind the ‘sharp’ increase in raw material and energy costs.

“All Business Sectors and regions contributed to this good set of results, especially France, which confirmed its recovery. In line with our focus on pricing in an environment where inflation is increasing once again, sales prices rose significantly, particularly in the second half of the year,” said Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain.

Spain: Isolana has gained an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its Isoplac laminated gypsum wallboard product. The EPD was registered in late January 2018, it will last five years and it was verified by Tecnalia R&I Certifcación. Isoplac A13 and A15 are laminated gypsum boards with double-sided cardboard and gypsum core, manufactured by continuous rolling process. Isoplac gypsum boards are installed in partitions, backings and interior ceilings forming systems that provide the acoustic insulation, thermal resistance and fire resistance required in each case.

US: National Gypsum is considering reopening a gypsum wallboard plant in either Tampa, Florida or Wilmington, North Carolina. The wallboard producer plans to make its final decision late in 2018, according to the Greater Wilmington Business Journal. The Tampa plant was shut in 2008 and the Wilmington plant stopped operations in 2009. The company is planning to expand its presence in the south-east of the country.