Gypsum industry news

Uzbekistan: Knauf is planning to invest Euro40m to expand production of gypsum boards and gypsum-based mortars, Dmitry Deripalko, the director-general of Knauf Gips Bukhara, has said. Knauf operates a gypsum wallboard business and a gypsum-based mortar company in Uzbekistan, according to Uzbekistan Daily.

The gypsum wallboard plant run by Bukharagips will be expanded first with a 30% increase in production capacity to be completed by early 2017. Then a new plant will be built at Knauf Gips Bukhara to increase production of gypsum-based mortars. Deripalko said that the project will be paid for via re-investment. Around Euro10m will be spent on construction and the remaining Euro30m on buying equipment. Kanuf also plans to launch a floor gypsum boards in the country.

Bukharagips produces 25Mm²/yr of gypsum wallboard. Knauf Gips Bukhara produces up to 60,000t/yr of mortars.

Honduras: Knauf International has acquired Caspian International in Honduras. Caspian International operates a gypsum wallboard plant in Choloma. The transaction also includes Cateras de Sula, a gypsum quarry in Honduras, and Caspian Panama, a commercial office.

"After our two recent acquisitions in Colombia, we are extremely pleased to strengthen our geographical footprint in the central American market... We are convinced that this acquisition is the beginning of a strong evolution in Central America and in the Caribbean Islands. As we have done in other countries, we will bring our expertise in plasterboard manufacturing to Central America, but also in other construction fields such as Aquapanel cement board, ceilings, jointing and Cleneo, our decorative boards," said Serge Azaïs, member of the Knauf Management Committee and CEO for South America. "Knauf Honduras will benefit from the strong knowledge of our Argentinian team, leading the integration process of the former Gypcen brand."

Vietnam: Knauf Vietnam has signed a strategic cooperation agreement for the distribution of gypsum wallboard with Zinca Vietnam. A ceremony marking the signing was held on 12 March 2016 and attended by about 300 guests, including gypsum wallboard distributors, dealers, contractors, developers, and architects, according to local press.

"I believe this remarkable milestone will help us strengthen our nationwide coverage and promote brand awareness," said David Thomas, General Director of Knauf Vietnam. He added that the company's 20Mm² wallboard plant in Hai Phong has started commissioning and is due to started selling commercial products by May 2016.

Knauf Vietnam was licensed in 2013 to build a gypsum wallboard plant. It has since established offices in Hai Phong, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City and has been developing a distribution network throughout the country. In the meantime it has been selling products locally including StandardShield, MoistShield, FireShield, Knauf Danoline and Cleaneo.

Zinca Vietnam is a Vietnamese building materials manufacturer and distributor that was founded in 1995. It previously signed a cooperation deal with Saint-Gobain in 2007 to distribute Gyproc branded products in the country.

Australia: Knauf Plasterboard has started building a new wallboard plant at the Port of Bundaberg, Burnett Heads, Queensland, according to local media. The project was announced in January 2016 and was subject to approvals before construction could start.

The project comprises the construction and operation of a wallboard plant at the Port of Bundaberg, including gypsum handling and processing facilities to support wallboard production and for on-sale of gypsum into the agriculture sector.

The project has been made possible by funding from the Queensland Government for the construction of a 26km gas pipeline from the Australian Gas Network's Wide Bay gas transmission line at Bundaberg to Burnett Heads. This gas supply supplies capacity for the Knauf plant and other industrial users in the region.

"Knauf is very pleased to be playing its part in working collaboratively with the State Government to help build new industries and boost regional and state economies," said Knauf CEO of Asia Pacific, Murray Read. He added that the Bundaberg plant was a great investment for Knauf, as it expanded Knauf's wallboard manufacturing network into Queensland to better serve its customers, create additional trade through an under-utilised port facility, support regional development and, in partnership with the State Government, helped to develop critical infrastructure for Knauf and other industrial users in regional Queensland.

The plant is expected to create up to 200 jobs during the construction of the plant and around 55 new positions when operational.

Azerbaijan: The president of Azerbaijan has attended the opening of the 0.4Mt/yr Ağdağ gypsum plaster plant built by Matanat-A in Baku's Garadagh District on 30 January 2016. The plant has been built using US$0.9m loan from the national business promotion fund. It employs more than 800 workers.

Suppliers supporting the project include Boemer, Saake, Haver and Boecker, Atlas Copco, ABB, Caterpillar, STP and Erisim. Half of the products made at the plant will be exported to Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Iran.

Sweden: Gyproc has awarded a contract to Claudius Peters Projects for the supply of a gypsum grinding and drying mill type EM 65-592. The mill will be installed at the Gyproc Balsta plant in Sweden. The contract was signed in October 2015.

The scope of supply includes the dismantling of the existing mill as well as the supply and erection of a new mill, including all connections to the existing periphery. A special challenge for this project is the tight schedule for the dismantling and erection of the equipment, within six weeks. Additionally, Claudius Peters Projects' newly-developed hydraulic tensioning system to adjust the grinding pressure will be installed for the first time.

Commissioning is planned for middle of July 2016.

UK: About 90,000t/yr of testliner capacity will soon be lost from the UK market. DS Smith will close its Wansbrough mill in Somerset, which also produces other products such as gypsum wallboard liner, on 23 December 2015.

DS Smith had announced a possible closure at the end of August 2015. At that time, the company had said the decision had been made after an assessment of the facility's long-term prospects.

The Wansbrough mill operates two paper machines. According to the plant manager, they manufacture roughly 90,000t/yr of testliner III, 30,000t/yr of coreboard, 18,000t/yr of recycled paper for bags, 12,000t/yr of recycled envelope paper and 10,000t/yr of other products such as wallboard liner.

DS Smith operates another paper mill in the UK, the Kemsley mill in Kent, where the company produces corrugated case material on three machines with a total capacity of around 800,000t/yr.

Kyrgyzstan: On 11 December 2015, Prime Minister Temir Sariyev inaugurated the Kyrgyz-Iranian gypsum plant in Ak-Suu, Issyk-Kul.

Romania: Siniat Romania, part of Belgium's Etex, will close its plant in Bucharest and quarry in Nucsoara in February 2016 in order to concentrate production at its recently-opened Turceni plant.

The decision was taken because Turceni has a better geographic proximity to the company's sales markets in south-east Europe, according to General Manager Marc-Andre Fritsche. The Turceni plant was opened in October 2015 in Gorj, south-west Romania, with an investment of Euro50m. It will incorporate the company's wallboard production activity and extend the portfolio with more complex products.

Siniat Romania has another plant in Aghiresu, Cluj. It posted a Euro25.8m turnover in 2014 and a loss of Euro1.15m.

Mexico: Panel Rey has announced that it will begin construction of a new wallboard plant in Cuidad Jurez, Chihuahau, Mexico. It will begin production in December 2016.

The plant is located 30km away from the US border at El Paso, Texas and will service the northwest markets of Mexico and Southwest in the US markets.

The company states that the production capacity of the plant is 15,000,000 boards/yr. It will also produce joint compounds and metal studs in the future.

The company states that it will continue its expansion in Central and South America.