Gypsum industry news

Romania: Siniat Romania increased its turnover by 6% year-on-year to Euro51.3m in 2020. It attributed this to a growing residential sector, higher demand for logistics spaces and the need for adapted office due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to See News. The subsidiary of Belgium-based Etex Group expects turnover to rise by 5 – 10% to around Euro56m in 2021.

"The construction market in Southeast Europe was one of the most resilient economic segments in 2020. The shock caused by the spring lockdown was followed by a rapid recovery and by an increase in the second half of the year," said Etex Building Performance commercial director Andrei Popa.

The company operates two gypsum wallboard plants in the country and it holds an estimated market share of over 25%. Almost half of the output of the two plants is exported to 11 countries in Southeast Europe.

Oman: Gypsum exports fell by 2% year-on-year to 8.81Mt in 2020 from 9.01Mt in 2020. This has been attributed to weaker demand in key markets caused by a global economic slowdown and the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Oman Daily Observer newspaper. However, industry figures remain optimistic about the future for the sector given the country’s continued position as the world’s largest exporter of gypsum. In 2020 the country exported 2.49Mt of gypsum to Vietnam, 1.49Mt to India, 1.41Mt to Bangladesh, 0.8Mt to Indonesia, 0.78Mt to Japan, 0.49Mt to South Africa and 0.37Mt to South Korea.

Oman: Oman’s gypsum exports fell by 4% year-on-year to 4.99Mt in the first seven months of 2020 from 5.20Mt in the same period in 2019. However, data from Zawawi Minerals shows that exports picked up by 28.7% year-on-year to 1.14Mt in July 2020 from 0.89Mt in July 2019. The government allowed industry to reopen in late June 2020 following a coronavirus-related lockdown.

Spain: The Port of Carboneras has reported the movement of a total of 350,000t of gypsum by importers and exporters in the first five months of 2020, up by 4% year-on-year from 337,000t over the corresponding period of 2019. Gypsum was the only product to experience an increase, with coal volumes over the period falling by 96% and cement volumes by 55% due to the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak on construction and other industries.

Spain: The Port of Motril in Granada has resumed exporting gypsum from quarries in the province. A load of around 43,000t was despatched on the Desert Grace bulk carrier. Gypsum consignments from Motril started in late 2019 with two test shipments. The port hopes to export up to 0.4Mt/yr of raw gypsum.

Thailand: The Department of Primary Industries and Mines (DPIM) has lowered Thailand’s gypsum export quota to 6.0Mt in 2020, the same as in 2019 and down by 17% from it original 2020 quota of 7.0Mt.

Thailand’s 2019 gypsum exports were 5.04Mt.

Uzbekistan: Knauf has announced plans for a second gypsum wallboard production line in Bukhara, Bukhara region. The plans also include an investment of Euro2.2m in an additional gypsum mixture line at its Bukharagips plant, also in Bukhara, which produces dry building mixes. Trend News has reported that Knauf is currently Uzbekistan’s leading producer of gypsum wallboard, which it sells on the Uzbek, Afghan and Turkmen markets.

Oman: Zawawi Minerals has published a report in which it forecasts 11% year-on-year growth in gypsum exports, to 10.0Mt in 2020 from 9.00Mt in 2019. The report notes that Oman’s consistent supply of gypsum makes it the most important supplier to the Asian and South/East African regions. It contrasts the fitness of the Omani gypsum sector for exports with that of Pakistan, where bilateral trade with neighbouring India has been suspended since 7 August 2019.

Oman: The World’s leading gypsum-exporting country, the Sultanate of Oman, has recorded gypsum exports of over 9.0Mt in 2019 to its main recipient countries in Asia and South/East Africa. Omani producer Zawawi Minerals has estimated increased export volumes and prices by at least 6% to US$13.3/t from US$12.5/t. Its main competitor, Iran, whose gypsum exports were 4.3Mt in 2019, is set to export no gypsum in 2020 following the US-imposed executive order of 10 January 2020 banning mining in the country.

Oman: Gypsum exports from Oman rose by 28% year-on-year to 9.47Mt in 2018 from 7.4Mt in 2017. Major destinations of gypsum included Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Japan and Indonesia. The country’s gypsum producers exported 3Mt to Vietnam, 2.9Mt to India and 1.25Mt to Bangladesh in 2018.