US: HydroBlok, which produces the extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam-core HydroBlok One wallboard, has raised US$6m in an extended Series A funding round. Pier 88 Investment Partners and Andina Capital Partners led the round. MarketLine News has reported that HydroBlok will use the capital infusion to accelerate its production roll-out in the US.

HydroBlok One is lightweight, waterproof and mould-resistant that halves build times and reduces costs by 30% compared with conventional gypsum wallboard, according to the developer.

CEO and co-founder Colin House said "I've never witnessed a response quite like this. Seeing builders light up when they grasp the time and cost savings of HydroBlok One is incredibly rewarding."

Russia: UGMK’s Nadezhdinsky metallurgical plant in Serov will soon become a source of gypsum, following the installation of a flue gas desulphurisation system. Metals Daily News has reported that commissioning is scheduled for 2027.

US: USG plans to make a US$4.5m expansion to a mill building at its Jacksonville gypsum wallboard plant in Florida. The plant also produces ceiling tiles and panels and flooring and roofing materials. The Jacksonville Business Journal newspaper has reported that the company has applied to city authorities for a permit for the expansion.

US: The US construction industry is reportedly bracing for heightened labour shortages amid on-going federal enforcement actions against suspected illegal immigrants. Forbes has reported that sections of the workforce are ‘shaken,’ with some builders at one San Francisco firm avoiding certain tasks or not coming to work at all. Authorities have already deported three of the firm’s workers.

The National Association of Home Builders has proposed a new visa programme for construction workers and supportive pathways to legal residency for those already working in the industry. 61% of gypsum wallboard installers in the US were born in other countries.

The on-going US construction labour shortage reportedly cost the industry US$10.8bn in 2024, reducing new single-family homebuilding by 19,000 units.