Gypsum industry news

US/China: The Office of the US Trade Representative has started implementing a 10% tariff on mineral and other products from China, including gypsum products, following a consultation period. Mineral products affected by the proposed tariffs of interest to the gypsum wallboard industry include gypsum, anhydrite and plaster products made from calcined gypsum or calcium sulphate. Lime, cements and additives for cements, mortars and concretes are also affected.

The latest tariff list follows an earlier decision by the US government to tax imports from China worth US$34bn that came into force in early July 2018.

Tanzania: Knauf Gypsum Tanzania is set to benefit from a new connection to the Madimba natural gas pipeline as part of a project by the Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC). The project plans to connect local industries in the Mkurunga area, south of Dar es Salaam, to the pipeline, according to the Citizen newspaper. Knauf Gypsum Tanzania and Lodhia Steel Industries have agreed to be connected soon after the installation of electricity is completed.

Georgious Zachopoulos, the managing director of Knauf Gypsum Tanzania, said that he expects the plant to save at least US$3m by switching to natural gas from coal. At present the unit sources coal from the Iringa region. Moving to natural gas is also expected to increase the lifetime of the machines at the plant and reduce its emissions. The plant expects to start using natural has by the end of 2019.

China/US: China’s Ministry of Commerce has proposed placing retaliatory tariffs on products from the US, including gypsum and gypsum products. The list covers 5207 items and proposes adding import taxes of up to 25% on them. It includes gypsum and gypsum wallboard. The ministry said that the new tariffs will take effect at a date to be announced later on.

Bolivia: Representatives of the Vice Ministry of Mining, the National Service for the Registration and Control of the Marketing of Minerals and Metals, (SENARECOM), the Ministry of Mining of the Cochabamba Government, the Mining Cooperatives Federation of Cochabamba (FEDECOMIN) and gypsum producers have organised a meeting following a rise in the price of gypsum. The price of gypsum rose by 23% to US$23/t in late June 2018 following the setting of a new reference price by SENARECOM, according to the Los Tiempos newspaper. Since the price rise production at local plaster plants has been affected.

US/China: The Office of the US Trade Representative has proposed placing a 10% tariff on mineral products from China, including gypsum products. The list includes over 600 items and it will come into force after a period for public comment in August 2018.

Mineral products affected by the proposed tariffs of interest to the gypsum wallboard industry include gypsum, anhydrite and plaster products made from calcined gypsum or calcium sulphate. Lime, cements and additives for cements, mortars and concretes are also affected.

The inclusion of additional products to a tariff list follows an earlier decision by the US government to tax imports from China worth US$34bn that came into force in early July 2018.

Canada: The Canada Border Services Agency has started an investigation into gypsum board products being imported from the US. The probe has been initiated by a complaint by CertainTeed Gypsum Canada about the products being imported into British Colombia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as the Yukon and Northwest Territories, according to the Canadian Press newspaper. It is the second complaint that CertainTeed Gypsum Canada has made in recent years, following a similar allegation in 2016.

In 2016 preliminary tariffs were imposed on US imports and then reduced after being blamed for raising the price of wallboard. The increases were linked to higher costs for domestic customers in Fort McMurray, Alberta following destruction caused by wildfires. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal later ruled that US imports had caused injury to local producers but that maintaining duties would not be in the country's trade interests.

Belarus: Construction of Belgips new 30MM2/yr gypsum wallboard plant in Gatovo, Minsk District is expected to be completed in October 2018. The plant will then take another six months for start-up and commissioning before it starts commercial operation in mid-2019, according to Belarus Daily News. The unit is a joint venture between Russia’s Volma Corporation and Germany’s Knauf.

Canada: Red Moon Resources has submitted a development plan for an open cast gypsum mine at the Ace deposit in western Newfoundland to the government of Newfoundland and Labrador. The project has already received environmental clearance. It is currently attempting to find customers for gypsum and anhydrite from mine. Previously the site was used by the Flat Bay mine, which produced at least 15Mt of gypsum prior to 1990.

Red Moon Resources is an industrial minerals company developing the Ace Gypsum deposit, the Black Bay Nepheline deposit and the Captain Cook Salt deposit in Newfoundland and Labrador. Its majority shareholder is Vulcan Minerals.

Tunisia: Prime minister Youssef Chahed has met with Alexander Knauf, the chairman of Germany’s Knauf. Knauf plans to invest Euro80m and create over 300 jobs in gypsum projects based in the governates of Tataouine and Sidi Bouzid, according to African Manager. Knauf has operated a plaster business in the country since 2004.

US: The commissioners of New Hanover country in North Carolina have approved a US$0.35m incentive package for National Gypsum to open its Wilmington wallboard plant. The package will be offered over five years if the wallboard producer meets benchmarks that include investing US$25m in the plant and hiring at least 51 people at the site, according to the Star News newspaper. The city of Wilmington is also considering offering a package of US$0.23m. However, pollution concerns have been aired at public hearings about re-starting the plant.