Gypsum industry news

Sudan: Glass fibre-reinforced gypsum (GFRG) modular systems producer Eco Buildings Group and Socotra Real Estate Development have launched a joint venture (JV). Socotra Real Estate Development will invest US$5.82m over six months in the JV’s construction and operation of two new production lines.

Eco Buildings Group Executive Vice Chair Etrur Albani said that the ‘landmark’ JV ‘not only serves to further demonstrate the increasing global demand for our GFRG modular housing solutions, but also the efficiency of our international expansion strategy.’

Spain: Formatt Building Products Spain plans to build a new gypsum wallboard plant in La Rioja. The project will use technology supplied by Canada-based Gypsum Technologies (Gyptech). The unit is scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 2026. Formatt is part of BS Group and it sells lightweight construction products and systems under the Technogips brand.

Gyptech says that the project will use various innovations in process automation and environmental engineering to reduce the plant’s CO₂ emissions. It will use a reduced emissions dryer system with a heat pump system, which is intended to reduce dryer-related emissions altogether. The facility will also feature automation, digital process control and safety and maintenance systems. Board-handling systems will be included to maximise edge quality and uniformity.

Petar Kaloyanov, General Manager of Formatt Group, said “This investment will strengthen Formatt’s position as one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of modern building products and systems. Through our Technogips brand and our portfolio within the Formatt Group, we are committed to becoming a one-stop shop for lightweight construction solutions that reduce CO₂ emissions and work in harmony with nature. Our ambition is clear: to establish Formatt among the top four brands for modern construction systems in the European Union.”

Canada: France-based Saint-Gobain has inaugurated its CertainTeed gypsum wallboard plant in Sainte-Catherine, near Montreal. The unit is fully electrified and powered by hydroelectricity. The company says that the site is the first zero-carbon (scope 1 and 2) wallboard plant in North America and the largest in the world to be fully powered by electricity. The launch of a new production line at the existing plant, along with equipment modernisation, has enabled a 40% increase in production capacity while reducing energy consumption by 30% and CO₂ emissions by approximately 44,000t/yr.

Mark Rayfield, CEO Saint-Gobain North America said “This ambitious project strengthens our leadership position in light construction in Canada and meets the strong local demand for sustainable solutions. It accelerates our growth in the country, where we have tripled in size in three years.”

The upgraded wallboard plant is the group’s second after the one in Fredrikstad, Norway that was inaugurated in 2023.

Finland: Knauf Oy is preparing to electrify the calcination process at its Kankaanpää gypsum wallboard plant. An electrified hybrid dryer was installed at the site in 2024. Now, four new 2MW heaters is scheduled to be added in the summer of 2026. The cost of the project will be around €5m. Knauf recently released its new LOWR product line, where boards are dried with an electrified plasterboard dryer using 100% renewable electricity.

US: ReCB plans to resume production of its Everboard recycled carton-based alternative wallboard. The company acquired a second production site in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Everboard trademark after previous owner Waste Materials closed down production in November 2024. ReCB’s existing plant is situated in Lodi, California

Local press has reported that ReCB now commands 1.11Mm²/yr of Everboard production capacity, which will involve the recycling of 12,000t/yr of cartons as raw materials. It plans to employ a total of 16 people for round-the-clock production. The company will subsequently expand it footprint to a combined capacity 9.29Mm²/yr across six locations.

India: Saint-Gobain has commenced construction of its upcoming Oragadam gypsum wallboard plant near Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The plant will also produce plaster, as well as mineral wool insulation, acoustic insulation panels and float glass. The Times of India newspaper has reported that the plant is France-based Saint-Gobain’s largest investment in the Asia-Pacific Region to date.

Saint-Gobain Asia Pacific Regional Senior Vice-President and CEO Sreedhar Natarajan noted the upcoming plant’s reliance on automation technology to ‘Enhance our ability to deliver high-performance and differentiated solutions to our customers.’

South America: Belgium-based Etex has announced planned and on-going capital expenditure (CAPEX) investments of €65.7m in its gypsum wallboard plants in South America up to 2027. This consists of a €32.5m upgrade to its Huachipa plant in Lima, Peru, a €21.4m upgrade to its Santa Rosa plant in Santiago, Chile, and a €11.8m upgrade to its La Pampa plant in General Acha, Argentina. The Huachipa plant upgrade is scheduled for completion in late 2026, the Santa Rosa plant upgrade for August 2026 and the La Pampa plant upgrade for early 2027.

CEO Bernard Delvaux said "Latin America is a key region where we have been present for 90 years, with 23 sites and close to 2300 teammates today. We are not only scaling our operations but also raising the bar in efficiency, safety and environmental performance."

Saudi Arabia: United Mining Industries says that an upcoming new gypsum wallboard line in Saudi Arabia is ‘near to completion’ and will commence commercial production ‘soon.’ In a post to LinkedIn, CEO Hamad Alsourayia gave his best wishes to ‘new plant manager’ Kassim Fakir. No further details on any new plant are yet forthcoming.

United Mining Industries currently operates a 30Mm²/yr gypsum wallboard plant in Yanbu.

Kazakhstan: Germany-based Knauf will build a US$30.5m, 225,000t/yr dry plaster mix plant in Zhambyl, creating 100 new jobs in the region. When operational, 80% of the plant’s production will supply the domestic market and 20% will supply other Central Asian countries. Business World Magazine News has reported that Knauf has secured a licence for gypsum extraction at the Ulken-Burultau deposit in the Zhambyl region with verified reserves of 84Mt.

Knauf regional representative Alexander Blumhardt said "We consider Kazakhstan as a priority direction for the development of our business in the region. The country has a powerful raw material base, a growing market and high openness to investors."

US: USG plans to make a US$4.5m expansion to a mill building at its Jacksonville gypsum wallboard plant in Florida. The plant also produces ceiling tiles and panels and flooring and roofing materials. The Jacksonville Business Journal newspaper has reported that the company has applied to city authorities for a permit for the expansion.