Gypsum industry news
Knauf reportedly looking for buyer in Australia 08 June 2020
Australia: Knauf is reportedly looking for buyers for its business in Australia. The Royal Bank of Canada and PricewaterhouseCoopers have been helping the gypsum wallboard producer manage a potential sale, according to the Australian newspaper. The German company operates three wallboard plants in the country. They are thought to be worth up to US$200m.
Any such sale is likely to be related to Knauf’s acquisition of USG in 2019. The US-based company owns a 50% share in USG-Boral, which also operates wallboard plants in Australia. Boral said in April 2020 that it thought it unlikely that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) would approve its plans for USG-Boral so far. If Knauf were able to sell its other assets in Australia then its options with USG-Boral are more likely to be accepted. Speculation has mounted in the local press about partial or full asset divestments by Knauf in Australia since the USG acquisition.
UK: Planning permission has been granted by Newport City Council for a new gypsum wallboard plant to be built by Associated British Ports (ABP). The unit will be built on empty land to the south west of Newport Dock’s South Dock, according to the South Wales Argus newspaper. The building will be up to 202m long and 110m wide, with a maximum height of 21m. Gypsum for the plant will be delivered by ship. The project is expected to create up to 70 jobs. Once complete, the facility will be leased to a manufacturer by ABP.
US: The Gypsum Association has elected Gregory McCown as the chair of its board of directors for 2020 – 2021. McCown is the Regional Manufacturing Manager – Eastern US for CertainTeed Gypsum. Other appointments include National Gypsum’s Craig Robertson as vice-chair, Pabco Gypsum’s Emil Kopilovich, as treasurer and the Gypsum Association's Stephen H Meima continues as the secretary. USG’s Albert R Zucco is the past chair of the board. All terms are for one year and are effective from 1 May 2020.