Demand for Gypsum Mining and Wallboard Manufacturing ...

Demand for Gypsum Mining and Wallboard Manufacturing At An All-time High

Gypsum and wallboard manufacturers understand the importance of adopting new ideologies and practices to ensure long-term success. Balancing these new methods with shareholder expectations while preserving market and business positions is crucial.

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The drywall & gypsum board market is increasingly gaining prominence, with projections estimating a market size exceeding 79.17 billion USD by 2025.

Escalating global construction activities are a key factor driving this surge.

Market Potential

A primary driver of this growth is the increased use of gypsum products in residential real estate. Since 2012, economic trends such as improved employment rates and higher credit ratings—which have boosted residential mortgages—are expected to persist.

However, demographic studies suggest that demand will shift towards multi-family construction rather than single-family homes, particularly due to ongoing student loan debt issues making new home qualification difficult. In 2015, the US Census Bureau reported that 41% of issued permits were for multi-family constructions.

Other factors fueling this demand include enhanced commercial and residential infrastructure, better living standards, population growth, rapid industrialization, and increased income levels.

Supply & Demand

A distinctive feature of gypsum boards is their non-combustible core, setting them apart from fiberboard, hardboard, and plywood. The current surge in demand is causing a shortage of raw materials and higher-priced end products. To manage costs, North American and European manufacturers are shifting production to the Asia-Pacific region, where labor and operating costs are lower.

As an alternative to mined gypsum, FGD (Flue Gas Desulfurization) gypsum—a byproduct of the fossil fuel-fired power generation industry—has received EPA approval. Its use is expected to reduce environmental pollution due to decreased mining activities. Most gypsum used in wallboard production now utilizes FGD gypsum.

Key Market Trends in Emerging Economies of Asia-Pacific

Additional factors expected to bolster the drywall & gypsum board markets include:

• Increasing focus on sustainable green building materials
• Government-led infrastructure growth initiatives
• Growing number of DIY users and construction activities
• Shifts from new construction to home remodeling and restructuring
• Rising investments in the construction sector
• Repair activities in developing nations

May 02, 2019: National Gypsum’s PURPLE family of noise-reducing drywall products had a new addition: The Gold Bond brand The Sound Break XP with Sporgard™. This high-density, fire-resistant Type X gypsum core is acoustically enhanced, made from 100% recycled materials, and encased in a heavy, mold/mildew/moisture/abrasion-resistant National Gypsum PURPLE® paper.

• Canada’s commercial and residential sectors are also experiencing significant growth, primarily driven by increased immigration and government initiatives. This results in a higher demand for home remodeling, thereby boosting the gypsum board market. Furthermore, Canada’s shift towards high-tech, service-based economies fuels commercial demand growth.
• Hong Kong housing authorities launched a series of initiatives to jump-start low-cost housing construction. They have allocated a capital expenditure of HKD 23,923 million (over $3BN USD) to build more affordable apartments.
• The 2014-2020 China New Urbanization project aims to provide housing for migrants and other commercial facilities in major cities.
• India’s construction sector is expanding rapidly with new projects such as dams, bridges, metro rails, and roads. The US plans to invest 1.3 trillion USD in housing, providing 60 million new homes over the next seven years and increasing affordable housing availability to 70% by 2024 in India.

All these trends will significantly impact material availability and associated costs. Global governments might need to reconsider the growth rates and align them more accurately with current and future supply and demand.

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All Things Gypsum: Gypsum Board Sound Control Systems

One of the key qualities that make gypsum board a preferred material for partitioning interior spaces is its inherent sound attenuation properties. Gypsum board possesses enough mass to inhibit low-frequency sound waves and resiliency to restrict higher-frequency sounds. This means it effectively reduces the transmission of sound across a wide frequency spectrum.

Various thicknesses of gypsum board are available, with each blocking different frequency ranges. For optimal sound blocking, using several layers of gypsum board of varying thicknesses is ideal. Implementing this effectively requires employing one of several sound-reducing strategies.

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Sound Transmission Classes

If you’ve been following our column for several months, you know that the Gypsum Association recently released the 18th edition of its Fire Resistance Design Manual. While we've discussed new fire-resistive designs, we haven’t yet delved into the manual's sound control information. Many listings not only display fire-resistance ratings but also sound control properties, including a sound transmission class (STC) rating.

An STC rating represents an average of a system’s sound-dampening properties. There are also field sound transmission class (FSTC) ratings, measuring a building assembly’s sound transmission under varied conditions. Higher STC or FSTC ratings indicate better soundproofing.

These ratings are determined using procedures from ASTM E 90, for laboratory measurement, or ASTM E 336, for field measurement of airborne sound insulation.

Blocking Overhead Noise

STC and FSTC ratings apply to walls and partitions, while the sound of foot traffic through floor-ceiling assemblies is measured by the Impact Insulation Classification (IIC). A higher IIC means lower sound transfer to areas below. Procedures from ASTM E 492 are used to determine this rating.

GA-600 section IV indexes systems by STC rating, categorized by assembly type and STC range. Higher STC numbers indicate better sound-dampening designs.

Sound Rated Designs

One high-rated design (55 to 59 STC) listed as GA file number WP 1516 includes double rows of steel studs, glass fiber insulation, and two layers of 5/8-inch thick gypsum board attached to steel studs, with joints staggered by 24 inches to impede sound passage.

Another design (GA file number WP 5510) uses double rows of wood studs, a 1/4-inch gypsum base layer, a 1/2-inch face layer, and mineral fiber insulation between studs. This setup traps sound in the air gap and blocks different sound bandwidths.

GA file WP 3242 employs resilient channels on one side of wood studs to detach the gypsum board from studs, minimizing sound transfer points. Sound vibrations are dissipated through the channels. Additional glass or mineral fiber insulation further dampens sound, and a 5/8-inch drywall layer on the other side of studs blocks sound to adjoining areas, earning a 50 to 54 STC rating.

GA file FC4370 floor-ceiling system achieves an STC rating of 45 to 49 and an IIC rating of 39. Resilient channels are attached to steel floor joists, covered with two staggered 1/2-inch gypsum layers. Glass fiber insulation between joists reduces noise within the joist cavities.

Sound behaves like water, seeking the path of least resistance. To prevent sound from bypassing or "flanking" a sound-reducing system, all potential openings, including around electrical boxes, pipes, and vents, must be sealed. Airtight joints and junctions ensure unwanted sound cannot pass through.

Section III of GA-600 provides a detailed discussion of these sound control principles and techniques.

For more information, please visit gypsum board machine supplier.