Displaying items by tag: Upgrade
UAE: Gypsemna says that it has added a new gypsum wallboard systems line at its 50Mm2/yr Musaffah gypsum wallboard plant in Abu Dhabi. The Musaffah plant is the largest gypsum wallboard plant in the Gulf region.
Saint-Gobain to install waste heat recovery system at Vancouver gypsum wallboard plant
31 March 2022Canada: Saint-Gobain has shared plans to install a US$3.19m waste heat recovery (WHR) system at its Vancouver gypsum wallboard plant in British Columbia. It has secured US$1.12m in funding from the provincial government’s CleanBC Industry Fund for the project. The producer says that the installation will increase the plant’s energy efficiency and reduce its CO2 emission by 10%.
Saint-Gobain said “This project will help our company to maximise our positive impact for our customers and the communities where we do business, while minimising our environmental footprint. We thank the CleanBC programme for its support, and look forward to many more years of sustainable, state-of-the-art manufacturing in Vancouver.”
CertainTeed installs 15,000t/yr recycling line at Silver Grove gypsum wallboard plant
06 January 2022US: CertainTeed has installed new recycling technology at its Silver Grove, Kentucky, gypsum wallboard plant which will enable the facility to divert 15,000t/yr of production scrap paper from landfill. The technology grinds gypsum-contaminated paper into fine pieces for separation. The subsidiary of France-based Saint-Gobain says that it will then be able to reuse both paper and gypsum in its wallboard production at the plant.
CertainTeed’s gypsum general manager and vice president Jay Bachmann said “This project allows us to reduce our waste and reduce our production costs in Silver Grove while also empowering us to increase the efficiency of our use of natural resources.” He added “We will continue to look for ways to minimise our environmental footprint while maximising our company’s positive impact for our customers and the communities where we do business.”
US: The Economic Development Department of the state of New Mexico has granted American Gypsum US$0.5m-worth of funding for an upgrade to its Albuquerque gypsum wallboard plant in Bernalillo County. The grant will facilitate equipment and infrastructure modernisation. The department says that the producer will invest US$22m in the state between 1 July 2021 and 31 December 2022. It employs 140 locals including Pueblo Indian people, in whose lands its gypsum mine is situated.
State Governor Lujan Grisham said "This investment means New Mexico jobs will stay in New Mexico. I'm glad the state could partner with American Gypsum and ensure long-term viability of their operations, and stabilise a New Mexico employer."
Saint-Gobain to upgrade Fredrikstad plant into first net-zero CO2 gypsum wallboard plant
28 May 2021Norway: France-based Saint-Gobain plans to upgrade its 13Mm2/yr Fredrikstad gypsum wallboard plant in partnership with state-owned sustainable energy agency Enova. The Euro25m upgrade will expand the plant’s production capacity by 40% and make it, what the producer says, is the world's first carbon-neutral plasterboard plant. One feature of the plan is electrification of the currently gas-powered production process. The upgrade will be completed in early 2021.
Saint-Gobain is considering implementing the net-zero CO2 plant project across others of its gypsum wallboard plants.
Romania: Saint-Gobain has begun construction of a new line at its Turda gypsum wallboard plant in Cluj county. The company plans to invest Euro45.0m in the project. The scheduled completion date is April 2023. The group says that the expansion aims to meet ‘rapidly growing’ local needs as well as those of the wider Central and Eastern European market, and to secure Saint-Gobain's leadership position within light construction.
Spain: France-based Saint-Gobain has announced plans for a new Euro40m production line at its Quinto gypsum wallboard plant near Zaragosa, Aragon. The line will integrate recycled raw materials use and an Industry 4.0 digitisation programme to increase production, warehousing, transport and delivery automation.The scheduled commissioning date for the expanded facility is in 2022. When operational, the line will generate 70 new direct jobs. The government of Aragon has declared the work a project of regional interest.
The group says that the new line will enable it to capture the growth of the Spanish market and its rapid shift towards more complex needs and especially more lightweight construction systems.
Sika reports sales increase in 2020
13 January 2021Switzerland: Sika’s 2020 full-year sales were Euro7.29m, up by 3% year-on-year when adjusted for currency variations. Sales grew in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region by 4.4%, in the Americas regions by 1% and in the Asia/Pacific region by 13%. The group recorded market share gains in all regions. During the year it acquired Romania-based Adeplast, US-based CIDRA Concrete Systems and Egypt-based Modern Waterproofing Group. The acquisitions span concrete, mortars and insulation production. The company established new plants in China and Colombia. It upgraded plants in France, Switzerland and the UAE.
Chief executive officer (CEO) Paul Schuler said "The 2020 fiscal year was overshadowed by the global coronavirus pandemic, which had a number of serious repercussions for the construction and automotive sectors. Thanks to the strong motivation of our employees and their pronounced customer focus, Sika managed to perform successfully in this highly challenging market environment and achieve above-average results. We remain very well positioned in what is still a difficult environment – thanks to our innovative products and solutions, as well as to our employees, who continue to deliver their utmost even in times such as these. On behalf of group management, I would like to thank our global workforce of 25,000 people for the tremendous dedication they have shown and for the unique way they identify with our company."
The group confirmed its 2023 targets, saying “The company remains aligned for long-term success and profitable growth. With its focus on the six strategic pillars – market penetration, innovation, operational efficiency, acquisitions, strong corporate values, and sustainability – Sika is seeking to grow by 6 – 8% a year in local currencies up to 2023. From 2021, the company is aiming for a higher earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin of 15 – 18%. Projects in the areas of operations, logistics, procurement, and product formulation should result in an annual improvement in operating costs equivalent to 0.5% of sales.”
Etex Building Performance sets UK gypsum wallboard recycling record
05 November 2020UK: Etex Building Performance recycled 14% its Siniat gypsum wallboard products in 2019, a UK gypsum wallboard recycling record. The company says that the figure exceeds both the UK average of 8% in 2019 and the industry target of 10% in 2020. It attributed the achievement to its “substantial investments in operational improvements to reuse waste gypsum, which can also be recycled.”
The improvements consisted of an upgrade to gypsum wallboard production at the company’s Ferrybridge plant in West Yorkshire and the addition of a new recycling facility at the site. Its planned new gypsum wallboard plant in Bristol will be able to produce wallboard using a higher proportion of recycled gypsum and source part of its water intake from rain. The producer has additionally secured a dedicated supply of post-consumer gypsum from construction sites across England and Wales via its subsidiary Crucible Gypsum Recycling. It said it decided to form the subsidiary after taking part in the European Commission’s Gypsum to Gypsum research project, which “showed the importance of controlling the quality of post-consumer material and re-orientating the industry for the recovery of waste at the end of a building's lifecycle.”
Head of environment and sustainability Steve Hemmings said, "Recovering waste gypsum makes business as well as environmental sense. The plasterboard industry traditionally relied on quarried gypsum or desulphurised gypsum – the latter is becoming less available as the UK switches to alternative energy sources. Recycling offers a greener future for construction, but it requires investment and coordination across the supply chain. We're investing early to make sure we have the capability and capacity to continue leading the UK's gypsum wallboard sector and to provide more sustainable solutions for our clients.”
US: Georgia-Pacific has begun construction of a 65Mm2/yr gypsum wallboard plant adjacent to its existing 30Mm2/yr Sweetwater gypsum wallboard plant in Nolan County, Texas. The company says that the plant will start production in late 2022, following a total investment of US$285m and it will employ 120 people.
President Brent Paugh said, “The demand for our diverse gypsum products continues to be strong, especially in Texas. By having two production lines in Nolan County, Georgia-Pacific can strengthen its capacity to meet our growing customer needs in Texas’ residential, commercial and industrial construction.”