Gypsum industry news

US: Lowe's Companies Inc. has announced that it has acquired Foundation Building Materials (FBM), a wholesale distributor of building materials and construction products. The deal, which went through on 9 October 2025, came about two months after Lowe’s announced it had agreed to purchase FBM for US$8.8bn in August 2025.

Lowe's said in a press release that the completed deal is expected to enhance the company's offerings to professional builders by providing a wider variety of products, faster fulfilment times, improved digital tools and a robust trade credit platform.

FBM currently has 370 locations across the US and Canada and serves about 40,000 customers. It primarily sells to construction professionals and not the general public, meaning this acquisition won't significantly affect regular Lowe's customers. FBM supplies building materials, including wallboard, plaster, stucco and more.

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.

US: Saint-Gobain's CertainTeed and home improvement retailer Lowe's have teamed up to offer the latest in backer board technology for easier, faster and more cost-effective tile installation projects.

Reinforced with embedded glass mats for added strength, moisture and mould resistance, Diamondback Tile Backer features a patent-pending polymer coating with a unique textured surface that creates a strong bond, reducing tile slippage during installation. Diamondback weighs 40% less than traditional cement boards and is much easier to handle, cut and install, saving installers valuable time. Highly mould resistant, CertainTeed's patented, proprietary Embedded Glass Reinforced Gypsum technology eliminates the need for an additional moisture barrier. Diamondback has also achieved GreenGuard Gold Certification.

"We are very excited about this partnership with Lowe's, which makes our innovative tile backer much more accessible to the homeowner DIY and contractor customer base," said Kelly Kuethe, marketing manager of CertainTeed.