Gypsum industry news

France: Environmental concerns have been raised about Placoplatre's plans to develop a open-cast gypsum quarry at Fort de Vaujours near Paris. The site is believed to contain enough high-end gypsum for the Saint-Gobain subsidiary's nearby wallboard plant and for other plants in the group, according to Deutsche Welle. However, environmentalists have raised the risks of excavating a site near to the capital of France that was used for nuclear testing between the 1950s and 1990s.

"It's important to maintain our plant. We employ 400 people at the factory which generates 3000 indirect jobs and an additional average 1000 workers will be operating at the industrial site," said Gilles Bouchet, Placoplatre's head of mining development. He added that the wallboard producer has conducted impact and radiation studies that have been submitted to the French nuclear safety body ASN.

Christophe Nedelec, president of environmental non-government organisation Gagny-Les Abbesses-Chelles has queried the efficacy of Placoplatre's tests and has called for an independent body to conduct them.

France: Saint-Gobain has joined part of the 2016 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), ranking among the top-three global companies and the number one European company for construction products. Special mention was given to the group's commitment and initiatives to tackle climate change. Established in 1999, the DJSI distinguishes best-in-class companies in the field of corporate social responsibility.

"I am very proud to see our group included in this renowned index, which is the benchmark for Corporate Social Responsibility. It is recognition of our commitment in this endeavour. We initially set out to be listed in 2017, so we met our target a year ahead of schedule. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our teams for achieving this excellent result," said Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman and CEO of Saint-Gobain.

France: Saint-Gobain's sales revenue has fallen by 1.6% year-on-year to Euro19.6bn in the first half of 2016 from Euro19.9bn in the same period of 2015. Its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 3.8% to Euro1.89bn from Euro1.96bn. The group blamed the loss in sales revenue on negative currency changes, especially in Latin American, and to a lesser extent, in the UK following its decision to leave the European Union. Saint-Gobain's Interior Solutions division, which includes gypsum wallboard and insulation production, reported a 3.1% rise in sales revenue to Euro3.3bn from Euro3.2bn.

"Saint-Gobain's sales for first-half 2016 confirm our February forecasts, with France stabilising and all regions making strong contribution to growth. Our strategy of investing in emerging markets provides us with a diversified platform for profitable growth. Our first-half results also benefited from efforts to optimise our operations, particularly in Western Europe, and from upbeat trading in the US. The results are in line with our objectives and we expect alike-for-like improvement in operating income for second-half 2016 versus second-half 2015. While the 23 June 2016 Brexit vote in the UK has created a climate of uncertainty, it does not affect our objectives," said Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain.

France/Switzerland: Saint-Gobain and the Burkard family have extended their agreement relating to the sale of shares of Schenker-Winkler Holding (SWH) and to extend the validity of the agreement until 30 June 2017. Saint-Gobain will then have an option to extend the agreement until 31 December 2018. SWH holds the majority of voting rights of Sika.

"Together, we are fully committed to this transaction. It makes sense from a strategic, industrial and financial standpoint for Saint-Gobain and for Sika, for their employees, for their customers and for all of their shareholders. The amendment to the agreement covers the longest of timelines to resolve related disputes, allowing SWH to regain its property rights," said Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman and CEO of Saint-Gobain.

In December 2014, Saint-Gobain announced its intention to buy a 16.1% stake in Sika for Euro2.6bn, thus acquiring control over the building materials producer. However, Sika's management and minority shareholders opposed the deal. At the end of January 2016, Saint-Gobain's finance chief Laurent Guillot told Reuters that the group still believed in a successful outcome despite the resistance it faced. In February 2016 Sika reiterated its opposition to the takeover in a financial statement saying that, "There is still no evidence to suggest there is any industrial logic behind the transaction."

France: Saint-Gobain's net income has risen by 36% year-on-year to Euro1.3bn in 2015 from Euro953m in 2014. Its sales revenue rose by 3.3% to 39.6bn from 3.4bn. However, its overall sales volumes remained static with only 0.1% growth. Growth in the company's Flat Glass and Interior Solutions divisions, including wallboard and insulation, held up sales despite sharp declines in sales in France.

"Saint-Gobain delivered improved earnings in 2015 in a sharply contrasted economic climate. The improvement was dampened by continued weak trading in France, hurt in particular by the sharp contraction in our Pipe division in the second half of the year, despite the first signs of an upturn in construction indicators. The group completed a key stage in the reorganisation of its business portfolio, with the sale of Verallia on very favourable terms, and continues to pursue its plan to acquire a controlling interest in Sika after obtaining all antitrust approvals prior to closing the deal," said Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain.

The group's Interior Solutions division reported a 7.1% rise in sales revenue to Euro6.49bn from Euro6.06bn. Reduced volumes and prices in the French market slowed growth in Western Europe, although this impact eased in the fourth quarter of 2015. Trading in North America was dented by a slight dip in prices in the second half and by the decline in the Canadian market. Asia and emerging countries continued to deliver growth.

France/Switzerland: Saint-Gobain has said that the validity of its agreement with the Burkard family for the acquisition of the shares in Sika has been extended to 30 June 2016, with an option to further extend the agreement.

French construction material producer Saint-Gobain and the Burkard family decided to change their agreement on the sale of the shares of Schenker-Winkler Holding (SWH), which holds the majority of the voting rights in Sika, and to extend the validity of the agreement, the French group said in a statement. Holding company SWH owns a 16.1% stake in Sika and 52.4% of the voting rights.

"Under no circumstance can Saint-Gobain be forced to purchase the shares of SWH if its stake in Sika would not represent the majority of the voting rights or if such acquisition would trigger the obligation to launch a mandatory offer to all Sika shareholders," the company said in a statement.

In December 2014, Saint-Gobain had announced its intention to buy this stake for Euro2.6bn, thus acquiring control over Sika.

France: Saint-Gobain aims to improve underlying operating profit in 2015 and save a further Euro400m. Saint-Gobain saw its 2014 operating profit rise by 1.6% to Euro2.8bn. On a like-for-like basis, the increase came to 7%.

"The group should benefit from good momentum in the US as well as in Asia and emerging countries in 2015," said Saint-Gobain in a statement. "In Western Europe, recovery will be held back by France."

Saint-Gobain derives about 66% of its sales from Europe and 25% from its home market in France. Total sales reached Euro41.1bn in 2014, down by 1.7%. Savings in 2014 reached Euro450m, as predicted in October 2014 when Saint-Gobain said that it aimed to do better than the Euro350m cost savings it had previously targeted for 2015. Saint-Gobain's net income, excluding depreciations and one-off charges, came to Euro1.1bn in 2014.

France/Switzerland: Saint-Gobain plans to acquire a controlling stake in Sika, a construction chemicals producer. The transaction involves Saint-Gobain's purchase of Schenker Winkler Holding AG, which owns 16.1% of Sika's capital and 52.4% of voting shares, for Euro2.3bn.

After the acquisition, Saint-Gobain will be able to fully-consolidate Sika into its operations, which will have a positive impact on net income in the year after consolidation. Saint-Gobain Group does not intend to make an offer for the remaining shares of Sika.

Sika has 16,000 employees in 84 countries. Its total sales in 2013 amounted to Euro4.3bn. It has experienced an average of 8%/yr growth in 2007-2013. Given the similarity in the activities of Sika and Saint-Gobain, it is expected that the acquisition will generate Euro100m in synergies from the second year of consolidation (2017) and Euro180m by 2019.

The deal requires the permission of the competent antitrust authorities and is expected to be completed no later than the second half of 2015.

France: Saint-Gobain and EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) have signed an agreement whereby EBRD will increase its participation in Saint-Gobain Construction Products Rus LLC from its current stake of 11% to 33%.

The EBRD equity injection will contribute to financing Saint-Gobain Construction Products' planned investments in Russia for the next three years, including projects in the gypsum, industrial mortars and insulation activities in several regions.

The investments will reflect the Environmental and Social Action Plan that was agreed with EBRD, thereby reaffirming the commitment of Saint-Gobain Group to the highest standards in environmental performance, corporate governance and business conduct.

This operation will contribute to the acceleration of Saint-Gobain's development in Russia, in alignment with the Group's strategy of strengthening its position in fast growing markets.

France: Saint-Gobain has reported that its sales fell by 4.8% to Euro9.67bn for the first quarter of 2013, down from Euro10.2bn in the same period in 2012. The France-based building materials multinational blamed the decline on bad weather, fewer working days in the period compared to the previous year and the continued economic slowdown in Europe.

"We anticipate a gradual recovery in the group's trading over the next few quarters and confirm our target of a recovery in operating income in the second half after having bottomed out between mid-2012 and mid-2013," said chairman and chief executive, Pierre-André de Chalendar.

Sant-Gobain's Construction Products Interior Solutions sector, which includes gypsum wallboard manufacturing, reported a 4.4% drop in like-for-like sales in the first quarter of 2013, mainly due to a drop in volumes in western Europe. However, Asia and emerging countries reported a 8.8% rise in sales.

By region across all business sectors, in France Sant-Gobain reported a 8.8% fall in sales to Euro2.80bn in the first quarter of 2013 from Euro2.90bn in the same quarter in 2012. Other western European countries saw a 9.5% fall in sales to Euro3.80bn from Euro4.18bn. North America reported a rise of 3.1% to Euro1.56bn from Euro1.52bn. Emerging countries, Asia and Pacific saw a 1.5% rise to Euro2.03bn from Euro1.94bn. In this territory Sant-Gobain singled out 5.4% sales growth in Latin America for offsetting declines in China and South Korea.