Global trends in the gypsum industry
The gypsum industry is in an upswing. The largest growth rates are projected for the wallboard (plasterboard) industry, with up to 2-digit growth rates according to some analysts. This market review will feature an outlook on the wallboard (plasterboard) industry in European, American and Middle East/Asian markets and will also outline the future of synthetic gypsum.
1 Introduction
While natural gypsum has been mined and manufactured for centuries, the processing of synthetic gypsum has been available only in the last few decades. Synthetic gypsum is an industrial by-product composed of calcium sulphate dihydrate and has the same characteristics as natural gypsum. A variety of gypsum by-products are available. The most common is FGD (flue-gas desulphurisation) gypsum, beside citrogypsum, phosphogypsum, fluorogypsum and titanogypsum. Technically, one uses the ability of burned gypsum to absorb water and thereby bind when mixed with water. When heated to...