U.S. Gypsum-Related Projects Top $1 Billion

Researched by Industrial Info Resources--Gypsum is used for a variety of industrial applications, including agriculture, cement production and the food industry, but perhaps its most important use is in the construction sector in the form of gypsum wallboard, also known as drywall, which form the walls and ceilings of countless commercial and residential structures throughout the world. The U.S. has large deposits of gypsum scattered throughout its borders and consistently ranks among the world's top three gypsum producers, along with China and Iran. Last year, the U.S. produced an estimated 22 million tons of gypsum, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Industrial Info is tracking more than $1 billion worth of active projects related to gypsum in the U.S., from its mining to its manufacture into wallboard.

Often, gypsum quarrying and wallboard manufacturing occur in close proximity. An example of this can be seen at USG Corporation's (Chicago, Illinois) quarry and wallboard plant near Plaster City, California, a stone's throw from the Mexican border in the extreme south of the state. Starting at the earliest stages of production, USG is expanding its 1.92 million-ton-per-year gypsum quarry into new production areas, necessitating a new well and more than 20,000 linear feet of water supply and power lines. In addition, haul roads will be created or expanded to facilitate access into the new areas.

In the wallboard plant, USG is performing modernizations, including replacing eight miles of water pipeline made of an outdated material containing asbestos with new high-density polyethylene pipe as well as other water-related projects, including a new 5.5-mile water line from the Imperial Irrigation District's Westside Water Main Canal to the USG plant, with pump stations along the route.

The expansion of USG's quarry is nearing completion, while the water projects at the wallboard plant are expected to be completed later this year. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Metals & Minerals Project Database can learn more by viewing the reports on the quarry expansion and plant modernization.

Perhaps the largest gypsum-related project in the U.S. is National Gypsum Company's (Charlotte, North Carolina) construction of a grassroot wallboard-manufacturing plant in Eloy, Arizona. The 600,000-square-foot facility will use the most up-to-date technologies to manufacture 1 billion square feet of wallboard each year. A new rail spur for loading and unloading also is part of the project, which is expected to be completed this summer. Subscribers can learn more by viewing the project report.

Many of the other gypsum projects in the U.S. are, like the USG project, expansions and/or modernizations of existing wallboard plants. Saint-Gobain Group (La Defense, France), for example, is just getting started on adding a second production line to its wallboard plant in Palatka, Florida, that will increase the plant's production from 950 million square feet per year to 2.1 billion square feet per year. Saint-Gobain, like other companies, has goals for net-zero emissions from its facilities, and is installing automation technologies and energy-saving technologies such as a new board dryer that will be 25% more efficient than existing the dryer and a new mill system that is expected to be 40% more efficient. The project is expected to wrap up in late 2025. Subscribers can click here to view the project report.

At its plant in Sweetwater, Texas, USG also is adding a 38,000-square-foot mill to increase the plant's operational efficiency. Construction on the mill as well as a new warehouse began late last year and is expected to wrap up in late 2025. Subscribers can click here to learn more.

An early stage in processing gypsum involves a calcining kettle, which heats the raw gypsum to remove water and convert it into the plaster of Paris used for wallboard. USG plans on upgrading a mill and one of the kettles at its drywall plant in Mediapolis, Iowa. Kettles that transfer heat indirectly to the gypsum can result in more uniform heating that can be more energy efficient than technologies that involve direct contact between the heat source and gypsum. The USG project is expected to kick off next year. Subscribers can learn more by viewing the project report.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Metals & Minerals Database can click here to view reports for all of the projects discussed in this article and click here for the related plant profiles.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).