The United States is one of the world's largest石膏 producers and importers, with a total output of 269 million tons in 2015, a 4.5% increase from 2014. Ninety percent of this is used for producing gypsum board and related products, with the remainder applied in cement retardants and agriculture. The consumption of byproduct gypsum in industry reached 115 million tons, a 4.5% increase from 2014. Imported natural gypsum totaled 39 million tons, a 5.5% rise from the 37 million tons in 2014, with the majority originating from the coastal provinces of Canada, and the rest from Mexico and Spain.

The consumption of gypsum board in the U.S. is directly related to the overall gypsum consumption in the country. In 2015, the total consumption of gypsum board in the U.S. reached 2.04 billion square meters, a 2.3% increase from 2.0 billion square meters in 2014. Between 2011 and 2015, the production of gypsum board in the U.S. grew from 1.7 billion square meters in 2011 to 2.3 billion square meters, a 27.9% increase, after falling to a low point due to the economic crisis. Despite this, the production level of gypsum board in 2015 was still significantly lower than the 3.344 billion square meters in 2005, as shown in Figure 1.

In 2015, the domestic natural gypsum production in the United States reached 115 million tons, a 4.5% increase from 110 million tons in 2014. Oklahoma, Texas, Nevada, Kansas, Iowa, and Arkansas accounted for over 70% of the total natural gypsum production. As shown in Figure 2, the production of natural gypsum, industrial byproduct gypsum, and construction gypsum in the U.S. has changed from 1996 to the present. The U.S. industrial byproduct gypsum has been on the rise and is now stable. There is an inseparable relationship between the production of natural gypsum and construction gypsum in the U.S., both of which stabilized by 2011.

European Gypsum Industry

The current growth rate of the plaster industry in Europe is even higher than in North America. The paper-faced gypsum board market in Europe is also expanding rapidly, with Germany leading in production followed by France, the UK, Spain, and the Scandinavian Peninsula (comprising Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland). Despite the average annual production of gypsum board factories in Europe being only 29 million square meters, strict promotion of energy-saving in construction has boosted the consumption of gypsum board, with all factories operating at an efficiency rate exceeding 90%.

Knauf, the leading European gypsum board manufacturer based in Germany, operates over 140 production facilities across more than 60 countries. In 2013, the company's turnover reached €6.6 billion. Its primary markets include Western and Eastern Europe, as well as Turkey. In recent years, Eastern Europe, CIS countries, and China have played a crucial role in the company's business development. Since 1998, Knauf has invested in and established four gypsum board production bases in Wuhu, Taicang, Tianjin, and Dongguan, China. Through 15 years of dedicated management, the company has firmly established its position in the high-end gypsum construction materials sector in China. Knauf is also a manufacturer of dry powder materials, producing 4 million tons of plaster, anhydrous gypsum, and dry mortar annually. Approximately one-third of the raw materials are synthetic gypsum.

In 2010, Germany's total plaster production reached 9.5 million tons, with approximately 4.35 million tons of natural plaster, 4.7 million tons of desulfurized plaster, and around 0.45 million tons of other chemical plaster. About 8.13 million tons were used in the plaster product industry, and about 1.37 million tons in the cement industry, which is exactly opposite to the situation in our country where most plaster is used as a cement retardant. In terms of comprehensive utilization, about 50% to 55% used desulfurized plaster, with natural plaster accounting for about 45%.

Japan Gypsum Industry

Japan has limited reserves of natural plaster and poor quality, but there is a strong enthusiasm for utilizing byproduct plaster. In 2014, Japan's gypsum board production reached 527 million square meters, with an average annual per capita consumption of approximately 4.2 square meters. This places Japan in the forefront of global per capita consumption rates (China's per capita consumption of gypsum board is about 1.5 square meters per year). Japan began mining natural plaster at the Kino Mine in 1901, and in 1919, the 3S Plaster Company was founded, starting the production of anhydrite. The Kino Company began producing gypsum board in 1922. During World War II, the production of plaster products halted, but resumed post-war. In 1959, technology for producing gypsum board from phosphogypsum was developed, and in 1965, desulfurized gypsum began to be used in the manufacturing of gypsum board. In 1985, the mining of natural plaster in Japan ceased, with raw materials primarily consisting of domestically produced chemical byproduct plaster, with additional quantities supplemented through imports. From 1986 to 1996, the Japanese plaster industry experienced a golden period, driven by the increasing demand for fire-resistant plaster products due to the difficulty of traditional wooden housing structures in meeting fire safety requirements. Additionally, during this period, Japan's economy was booming, leading to a strong demand for construction. After 1996, with the slowdown in Japan's economic growth, the production of gypsum board decreased and became more stable, as shown in Figure 3.

After years of development, Japan's plaster industry has shown a trend towards specialization and scaling. The production of plasterboard is primarily handled by the Yoshiyama Group Corporation, which accounts for 80% of the market share in Japan. Meanwhile, for dental, industrial, and ceramic applications, key players include 3S Plaster Co., Zuehiro Plaster Co., and Shimamura Plaster Co.

Japan's gypsum board products are diverse, with the main types being standard gypsum boards, gypsum strip boards, and sound-insulating gypsum boards before 1995. After 1995, while the total output decreased, the product range diversified. Gypsum strip boards gradually faded into history, and decorative, moisture-proof, reinforced, and rigid gypsum boards developed rapidly. Simultaneously, the thickness of gypsum boards also increased, with 9.5mm and 12.5mm thicknesses becoming the mainstream products.

International石膏Comprehensive Utilization

European Desulfurization Gypsum Comprehensive Utilization

In 1992, the total production of desulfurization gypsum from 18 European countries was merely over 3 million tons (with Germany as the main producer), which increased to 7.6 million tons by 1999 and further to 14.8 million tons by 2006 (with approximately 9 million tons utilized, accounting for a utilization rate of 60.8%). Due to its widespread sources, stable quality, and low price, desulfurization gypsum has correspondingly promoted the development of the European gypsum board industry. In the early 1980s, desulfurization gypsum accounted for only 4% of the raw materials in gypsum boards. By the 1990s, it increased to 19%, to 44% in 2000, and further to 60% by 2010.

Due to the EU's...