Gypsum industry news

Paraguay: WEIG Group subsidiary Yaguarete Papeles has purchased a new paper production unit. The equipment will produce wallboard liner and testliner using recycled fibre. It was previously installed at a production site in Germany. Dismantling is underway, with delivery to the plant in Paraguay scheduled for mid-2026.

Weig Technical Liner Managing Director Bernd Stibi said "We are taking an important step to strengthen our presence in Latin America. The investment allows us to reliably supply our customers with high-quality plasterboard liner, while at the same time supporting sustainable growth in the region."

US: ReCB plans to resume production of its Everboard recycled carton-based alternative wallboard. The company acquired a second production site in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Everboard trademark after previous owner Waste Materials closed down production in November 2024. ReCB’s existing plant is situated in Lodi, California

Local press has reported that ReCB now commands 1.11Mm²/yr of Everboard production capacity, which will involve the recycling of 12,000t/yr of cartons as raw materials. It plans to employ a total of 16 people for round-the-clock production. The company will subsequently expand it footprint to a combined capacity 9.29Mm²/yr across six locations.

Canada: Saint-Gobain subsidiary CertainTeed has concluded a year-long trial to increase the efficiency of CertainTeed 5/8 Type X gypsum wallboard production at its Winnipeg plant through recipe optimisation and technology upgrades. The producer adjusted its water-to-stucco ratio and replaced the line’s existing magnetic flow meters with Coriolis flow meters. It cut water usage by 1.09 million litres (3%), energy consumption by 25,000MWhr and CO₂ emissions by 5.6t year-on-year, while also increasing productivity by 5% year-on-year.

The producer now plans to roll out other water management initiatives based on the case study of the Winnipeg plant across its plants in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

India: Knauf India has launched the GIFAfloor System, a gypsum panel-based flooring system. The system consists of high-density, fibre-core panels that are primed on both sides, and serves as an alternative to traditional wet construction methods, according to the producer. The range includes GIFA Floor DB Green raised-access floor systems, which can handle 4kN of weight, with 60 minutes’ fire resistance, and GIFAfloor FHB hollow floor systems, which can handle 20kN, with 90 minutes’ fire resistance.

CEO Sumit Bidani said "Our new GIFAfloor range reflects Knauf's drive to blend innovation with practicality. Each variant addresses a specific infrastructure need while delivering on durability, flexibility and environmental responsibility."

US: Lowe's has concluded a deal to acquire Foundation Building Materials for US$8.8bn. Foundation Building Materials is a distributor of gypsum wallboard and other building products. Baystreet News has reported that the deal marks Lowe's second acquisition in the residential construction segment so far in 2025.