Gypsum industry news

UK: Global not-for-profit organisation CDP has included Saint-Gobain on its Climate Change A-List 2019 for environmental transparency and performance aimed at facilitating a zero-net carbon economy. Only a handful of industrial producers achieved inclusion on the list, including US-based insulation producer OwensCorning and Germany’s HeidelbergCement and steel producer Thyssenkrupp. The company said that the listing commended its ‘ambitious commitment made in 2019 to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, in line with the +1.5°C warming scenarios.’

US: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be receiving public comment until 6 Feb 2020 on Eagle Materials' proposed 100 acre expansion of its 830 acre mine near Gypsum in Eagle County, Colorado. The mine supplies gypsum to its 67Mm2-capacity Eagle Materials gypsum wallboard plant in gypsum. BLM Colorado River Valley field manager Larry Sandoval said, “Responsible mineral development is part of BLM’s multiple-use mission,” according to RealVail newspaper.

US: A shareholder in Continental Building Products is taking legal action against the company over its acquisition by France’s Saint-Gobain on 14 October 2019. The claimant alleges that company withheld necessary information from shareholders prior to the transaction, in violation of Securities and Exchange Commission regulations.

UK: Saint-Gobain subsidiary British Gypsum has announced the removal of customer Gyproc gypsum plasterboard allocations with the resumption of normal distribution of its flagship product on order for up to next day delivery. The company said that capacity increases in 2019 solved its supply issue. “The level of effort, innovation and ingenuity that has gone into improving our supply capability has been significant,” said British Gypsum managing director Matt Pullen. “We go into 2020 with renewed confidence and positivity.”

Spain: Saint-Gobain Placo’s Ebro Gelsa gypsum wallboard plant has achieved silver certification for operational excellence under the World Class Manufacturing (WCM) programme. Its score improved to 63 points from 53 two years previously. Auditors recognised ‘clear progress in the different WCM pillars in recent years’ and ‘a clear strategy going ahead,’ noting a ‘high degree of safety’ at the plant.