Gypsum industry news

Australia: Boral has seen a 40% decrease in its profit during the first half of its fiscal year a period that ended on 31 December 2019. Its profit fell to US$90.4m for the period from US$151m a year earlier. Boral said that this was due to higher costs and weak housing activity in Australia and South Korea. It was also affected by the costs of transactions between its USG-Boral joint-venture partner USG and Knauf, which bought USG in 2019, along with its interest in USG-Boral.

Germany: Wacker has reported a fall of 16% year-on-year in its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to Euro780m in 2019 from Euro 930m in 2018. Wacker Group CEO Rudolf Staudigl said, “Our earnings last year were strongly influenced by non-recurring effects from insurance compensation received and from the impairment charge on fixed assets. We are currently working on a comprehensive program to make Wacker more efficient and capable, and to achieve substantial cost savings.” He indicated that the group would set out specific targets in early-2020.

US: Eagle Materials has reported financial results for the second quarter of its 2020 fiscal year, a period that ended on 30 September 2019. Its overall revenue was US$414.5m for the period, a 9% year-on-year improvement.

Gypsum wallboard and paperboard revenue declined slightly from the prior year, as improved sales volume was offset by lower pricing. Gypsum Wallboard sales volume reached 63.3Mm3 (681Mft2), a rise of around 8% year-on-year, while the average Gypsum Wallboard net sales price declined by 10% to US$13.78Mm2 (US$148.16/Mft2).
Paperboard sales volume for the quarter also increased, up by 9% to a record 86,000t. The average paperboard net sales price was US$475.98/t, down by 6% from the prior year, consistent with the pricing provisions in our long-term sales agreements.
Operating earnings were US$48.6m in the sector, a decline of 11%, reflecting improved wallboard and paperboard sales volume offset by lower net sales prices. Operating costs during the quarter declined primarily due to lower recycled fibre costs.

France: Saint-Gobain has reported nine-month sales of Euro31.1bn, down by 4.1% from Euro32.5bn in the nine months to 30 September 2018. Saint-Gobain has already achieved it annual divestment sales target of Euro3.0bn, further setting the group on track for a reduction in costs of Euro80m in 2019, Euro45m of this in the second half of 2019. The group was able to buy back 8.5 million of its shares over the period.

Switzerland: Sika has reported a net profit of Euro514m over the nine-month period ending 30 September 2019, up 7.4% year-on-year from Euro479m, amidst growth in all reg ions. Net sales grew by 12.9% in the period to Euro5.45bn from Euro4.83bn one year previously. Sika CEO Paul Schuler praised the performance, stating: “We are confident that we will exceed our sales target for fiscal 2019 of Euro 7.26bn.”

In October 2019, Sika unveiled its Strategy 2023, a six-part organisational growth model aimed at achieving a minimum of 6% growth annually.

Belgium: Etex has recorded a first-half net recurring profit of Euro100m, up by 6.3% year-on-year from Euro94.1m in the same period of 2018. Paul Van Oyen, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Etex, noted the role of ‘strong market demand, mostly driven by the Building Performance division’ in driving the company’s growth. Only its Etex Exteriors division, launched on 1 January 2019, has not shown net profitability. Etex’s financial debt has decreased by Euro181m to Euro538m from Euro719m on 30 June 2018.

Australia: USG-Boral’s earnings have fallen due to a poor construction market in South Korea. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell by 6% year-on-year to US$170m in the financial year to 30 June 2019 from US$181m in the previous year. Its revenue grew by 2% to US$1.08bn from US$1.06bn. The joint venture said that, excluding South Korea, earnings were ‘steady’ as lower earnings from Indonesia, China and the Philippines were offset by increased contributions from Thailand, Vietnam and India, as well as a continued strong contribution from Australia.

The company also announced that Boral has entered into an agreement with Germany’s Knauf to form an expanded 50:50 plasterboard joint venture in Asia and for Boral to return to 100% ownership of USG Boral Australia & New Zealand. Completion of the deal is subject to regulatory approval. It follows the acquisition of USG by Germany’s Knauf in early 2019.

US: Continental Building Products says it has been confronting a ‘sluggish’ new home construction market in the second quarter of 2019. Jay Bachmann, president and chief executive officer (CEO), said that the company was expecting the market to recover in the second half of the year and its improvement programme to reduce costs. Its net sales fell by 4% year-on-year to US$246m in the first half of 2019 from US$256m in the same period in 2018. Its net income dropped by 34% to US$28.8m from US$35.5m. Its gypsum wallboard volumes fell slightly by to 123Mm².

The wallboard producer also said that the shutdown of its Buchanan plant in New York due to mechanical failure might cause a boost operating income and earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of up to US$2m once an insurance claim is settled. The plant was shut from January 2019 to 15 March 2019. The company increased production at its plants in Silver Grove, Kentucky and Palatka, Florida to offset a portion of the lost production from the Buchanan plant.

US: Eagle Materials’ revenue from its gypsum wallboard business fell by 11% year-on-year to US$127m in the first quarter of its financial year to 30 June 2019 from US$142m in the same period in 2018. Its earnings dropped by 25% to US$37.9m from US$50.5m. Wallboard sales volumes decreased by 7% to 61Mm² from 66Mm². It attributed the loss of revenue on lower volumes and poor pricing although it said that buying activity around a price increase in July 2019 suggested that the market was ‘healthy.’

France: Saint-Gobain’s sales rose by 4.3% year-on-year to Euro21.7bn in the first half of 2019 from Euro20.8bn in the same period in 2018. Its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 8.4% to Euro2.42bn from Euro2.23bn. Growth was reported for its gypsum business in all territories apart from North America. Particular growth was noted in its Asia-Pacific region.