Gypsum industry news

Germany: Saint-Gobain has completed the sale of its Saint-Gobain Building Distribution Deutschland (SGBDD) business to the Stark Group. The divestment is based on an enterprise value of Euro335m. The finalisation of this transaction follows the approval of the European competition authority in early September 2019. The sale of its building merchants retail business marks the continuation of Saint-Gobain’s portfolio optimisation strategy.

Spain/Portugal: Saint-Gobain Placo Iberia has selected 32 finalists for its Golden Gypsum Trophy for innovative use of its products. The Spain and Portugal subsidiary of Saint-Gobain selected projects for innovative and operational excellence in projects representing six categories: laminated plasterboard, plasters, innovation and sustainable solutions, residential sector, non-residential sector and commercial sector. The public will be able to vote for winners of each category on the Saint-Gobain Placo website from 10 October 2019 to 31 October 2019.

Germany: Hosokawa Alpine will sell and rent out pre-owned process-technological machines. It has announced that its new rental and used equipment division will uphold the usual Alpine quality.

Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan produced 7000t of building gypsum in the eight months to the end of August 2019, a decrease of 82% from 38,000t in the corresponding period of 2018. Total production in the construction materials sector grew in value by 4.3% to US$303m from US$291m from January to August 2018.

US: Munson has launched a ribbon blender for the homogenisation of dry bulk solids, including gypsum plaster. The unit, which can also blend solids with liquids from its spray lines to pastes or slurries, has a volume of 2.4m³. The company reports that its novel bag dump, which draws dust into filter cartridges by intermittent blasts from a number of nozzles, will improve worker safety and plant hygiene.