Gypsum industry news

New Zealand: Gypsum wallboard producer and construction firm Fletcher Building has reported a 20% year-on-year drop in domestic housing demand during the first quarter of 2023. The Australian newspaper has reported that the company attributed the decline to ‘soaring’ interest rates in the country. It now expects to sell 800 residential units in 2023, 20% below its previous expectation of 1000 units. Fletcher Building said that building materials costs rose by 5 – 10% between 2020 and 2022, due to ‘higher input and commodity costs’ in production.

CEO Ross Taylor said that Fletcher Building faces labour shortages in its civil construction business, but maintained a strong order pipeline. Taylor said “It won’t drive an uptick in volumes but it will underpin the volumes in the next three to four years.”

Canada: Leading global gypsum recycling company New West Gypsum Recycling announced the death of its founder and chief executive officer Tony McCamley on 16 March 2023. It said that McCamley will be 'deeply and dearly' missed as a proud Irishman and for his sense of humour and love of his family.

The company said "Tony was an innovator and a visionary; he was passionate about his business and his family. He started New West Gypsum Recycling over 35 years ago and it has grown into a global business with a lasting environmental impact. His success is attributed to his hard work and dedication: his legacy will live on."

Spain: Italy-based Fassa Bortolo has announced plans for its upcoming Tarancón gypsum wallboard plant in Cuenca, Castile-La Mancha. The producer says that it plans to invest Euro90m in the project. Local press has reported that the company plans to hire 200 new employees to work at the plant.

Belgium: Etex's sales were Euro3.74bn in 2022, up by 25% year-on-year from 2021 levels. Its building performance division, which includes gypsum wallboard, recorded revenues of Euro2.43m, 65% of the group total. Etex said that the division’s market positions and results 'evolved positively,' and 'demonstrated leadership' in the face of raw materials price rises. The group's recurring earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (REBITDA) totalled Euro645m, up by 13%.

During the year, Etex's Romania-based subsidiary Siniat commissioned its new Euro1m gypsum drying and micronisation plant at its Aghiresu gypsum wallboard plant in Cluj. The market yielded turnover growth of 17% year-on-year for Siniat, to Euro72.5m

Etex recycled 54% more gypsum than in 2018 across its operations, making it 'the most advanced gypsum recycler in Europe,' according to the company. Its absolute CO₂ emissions fell by 20% over the same period.

Türkiye: Competition authorities have approved France-based Saint-Gobain's merger of its Türkiye-based subsidiary Saint-Gobain Rigips with Dalsan Alçi. Regulatory News has reported that the companies have a combined gypsum wallboard capacity of 100Mm²/yr and sales of Euro160m. Dalsan Alçi is currently in the process of acquiring fellow producer Manisa Turgutlu.