Canada: Researchers at Université Laval have developed an alternative wallboard panel using earth and wood fibres. The study sourced wood fibres from medium-density fibreboard (MDF) supplied by composite panels producer Uniboard. Test boards displayed comparable mechanical and thermal properties to 16mm-thick CertainTeed Type X gypsum wallboard, with increased acoustic insulation capacities. However, their reduced modulus of rupture increases the risk of breakage during handling or installation, while they are over twice as combustible as conventional gypsum wallboard, necessitating a reduction of wood fibre content or the use of fireproofing additives in any future commercial recipe. The boards are suitable for production at existing gypsum wallboard plants.

US: The Port of Long Beach authority has published a final study on a proposal to demolish Gold Bond Building Products’ Long Beach gypsum wallboard plant at the port in Florida. The report concluded that the demolition could have ‘less-than-significant’ impacts on the environment. Construction & Demolition Recycling News has reported that Gold Bond Building Products' lease for the site ended in November 2024. As a result, the company must now return it to a condition ‘equivalent to or better than’ that at the start of its lease. The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners will discuss the outcomes on 12 January 2026.

Azerbaijan: Construction gypsum production rose by 42% year-on-year to 128,300t in the first 11 months of 2025. Despite this, the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan recorded a 3% decline in the total value of the national building materials output in the period, to US$771m. Monthly Azerbaijan Business Monitoring News has reported that construction gypsum stocks ended 2025 at 2300t.

World: The Business Research Company has forecast that the global synthetic gypsum market will be worth US$2.32bn in 2029, up at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% from 2024 levels. The research company attributed the anticipated growth to the development of alternative cement binders and new flue gas desulphurisation technologies.