Ukraine: The National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) has added Germany-based Knauf to its list of “international sponsors of war” due to the company’s continued business in Russia. The government agency alleges that Knauf paid around US$117m in taxes to the Russian government in 2022. It noted that the company operates 10 subsidiaries, 20 production plants and nearly 30 resource centres in the country. It added that Nikolaus Wilhelm Knauf, a partner in Knauf Gips, had been a longstanding Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation until the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war in early 2022.

In March 2022 Jörg Schanow, a member of the management board of Knauf, told a German newspaper that the company had no plans to leave the Russian market.

UK: Knauf UK and Ireland has announced the launch of a new gypsum wallboard recycling service in partnership with waste management company Encore Environment. The partners will trial the service at contractor Manchester Design and Build’s renovation of the Piccadilly Warehouse in Manchester.

Knauf UK and Ireland national client development manager Jon Watts said “The existing Sittingbourne recycling plant and service is fantastic. However, with this partnership we’re able to really tap into on-site recycling and ensure as much goes back into the supply chain as possible. This is critical, as we don’t want plasterboard being transported all over the country. It’s broken down locally and then gets distributed back to plasterboard manufacturers.”

Spain: Bulk materials handling equipment supplier Bedeschi says that it has won a contract with fellow Italy-based company Fassa Bortolo to equip a planned gypsum stacking plant in Spain. The plant will homogenise gypsum for storage in an 8000m³ storage pit at a Fassa Bortolo quarry. Bedeschi says that the central part of the order is composed of a 300t/hr metallic apron feeder and stacker car, a 150t/hr excavator belt and a fully enclosed conveyor belt line. The supplier noted that it previously executed a ‘very similar’ order for Fassa Bortolo once before.

Saudi Arabia: Canada-based Gyptech has won a contract to carry out an expansion project at a gypsum wallboard plant belonging to United Mining Industries. The project is scheduled to conclude 18 months after its commencement date. Reuters has reported the value of the contract as Euro12.3m.