Gypsum industry news

US: Gypsum producers mined 22Mt of natural gypsum in 2024, according to the figures published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Production rose by 2% year-on-year from 21.5Mt in 2023. The USGS listed California, Iowa and Kansas as the top producers among 15 gypsum-mining states in the US in 2024. 45 different mines contributed to the total. Major domestic applications for the gypsum included use as raw materials in the country’s 3.16Bnm²/yr-capacity gypsum wallboard industry. The sector sold an estimated 2.6Bnm² of wallboard throughout the year, up by 4% year-on-year.

The US exported 45,000t of natural gypsum during 2024, up by 2% from 44,000t in 2024. Its imports declined year-on-year, meanwhile, by 4%, from 7.77Mt to 7.4Mt – 17% of a total domestic consumption of 44Mt.

Australia: Gypsum supplier Gypsum Resources Australia has joined 24 other organisations in calling on the state government of New South Wales to reconsider a planned relocation of Sydney Harbour’s last working port from Glebe Island in Sydney Harbour to the city of Newcastle, 150km away. The company said that such a move might have ‘severe’ economic repercussions due to increased freight costs and supply chain delays for the Sydney market.

Gypsum Resources Australia General Manager Alistair Kelsh said “We need clarity and certainty for the future, so that we can continue to support Sydney’s construction needs. Shifting Glebe Island port facilities will not just see building projects cost more for consumers and the government, but lead to thousands of extra truck movements on Sydney’s roads.”

US: National calcined gypsum prices were US$63/t in 2024, up by 5% year-on-year, Statista has reported. The figure more than doubled decade-on-decade from US$27/t in 2014.

New Zealand: Fletcher Building has reported its financial results for the first half of its 2025 financial year, which began on 1 July 2024. The group recorded sales of US$2.05bn, down by 7% year-on-year from US$2.21bn, and negative earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) at a loss of US$14.9m. It previously recorded a positive EBIT of US$44.1m in the corresponding first half of its 2024 financial year.

Sales in its Building Products division, which includes Winstone Wallboards, fell by 5% to US$380m, with EBIT of US$35.5m. Light building products contributed EBIT of US$32.6m. Winstone Wallboards retained its ‘strong’ market position, despite a recessionary environment, and successfully brought its new Tauranga gypsum wallboard plant to targeted performance efficiency.

Spain: The province of Almería in Andalusia exported €544m-worth of gypsum and limestone in 2024, 10% of its total exports by value. Ideal Online News has reported that this represents a year-on-year drop in exports of the products of 9%.

Regional delegate for Economy, Finance, EU Funds and Industry, Energy and Mining Guillermo Casquet said “Almería continues to strengthen its international position, registering growth in regular exporting companies and maintaining a strong balance of trade.”