Japan: Yoshino Gypsum will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its Tiger brand of gypsum wallboard on 1 March 2022. The company was originally founded in 1901 when it started mining gypsum at the Yoshino Mine in Yamagata Prefecture. It later started to sell its first gypsum board product with the Tiger brand in 1922.

Kazakhstan: France-based Alphaplatre has won an order to supply a plaster tile production line for Alina. The scope of supply includes preparation and mixing, tile molding, drying and semi-automatic palletisation. No commissioning date has been released.

US: GMS’ net sales rose by 36% year-on-year to US$2.19bn in the six months to 31 October 2021 from US$1.62bn in the same period in 2020. Its adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 68% to US$278m from US$166m. Wallboard sales represented 37% of the net sales total at US$805m, a decrease in share from 41% at US$659m in the same period in 2020.

“Supply chain dynamics have led to all-time high levels of product inflation, which have been the principal driver of both sales growth and incremental profitability. That said, our relentless focus on customer service and the solid execution of our strategic priorities have enabled us to capture the benefits of both this heightened product inflation across our portfolio as well as continued strength in the residential market,” said John C Turner Jr, president and chief executive officer of GMS.

GMS distributes gypsum wallboard, ceiling, steel framing and complementary construction products in the US

Uzbekistan: The government has shared plans for the establishment of a new building materials production cluster in Bukhara Region. Activities within the cluster will include gypsum extraction.