Walking into the sterile environment of a hospital operating room or the bustling corridors of a school, you might not notice the gypsum board covering your head and walls. However, this seemingly ordinary building material has long conquered the architectural world with its proven strength.
- Safety Line: The “Invisible Guardian” against Fires and Earthquakes
Gypsum board’s fire resistance stems from its unique chemical structure. The crystallized water in the core vaporizes when exposed to fire, absorbing heat. Each kilogram of gypsum absorbs approximately 1000 kJ of heat, resulting in a fire resistance limit of 1-4 hours, far exceeding the 15-minute fire resistance of ordinary wood panels. In areas such as hospital operating rooms and school corridors, where a fire resistance rating of 1 hour or more is required, 12mm thick fire-resistant Drywall board easily meets the requirements. Lightweight steel studs combined with gypsum board systems demonstrate exceptional seismic resistance. Tests in Japan show they can withstand displacements from a magnitude 8 earthquake. The elastic putty treatment at the joints reduces the likelihood of cracks by 80% compared to plastered walls.
2. Environmentally Friendly and Healthy: A Green Supply Chain from Raw Materials to Construction
For locations with sensitive populations, gypsum board’s zero formaldehyde properties are essential. Its core is composed of natural gypsum and a paper facer, requiring no adhesives. Formaldehyde emissions far exceed the E0 standard. Antibacterial gypsum board specifically designed for hospitals can even be coated with silver ions, achieving an antibacterial rate exceeding 99%. Notably, the 70 million tons of desulfurized gypsum consumed annually in partition board production in China reduces SO₂ emissions by 140,000 tons, achieving efficient recycling of industrial solid waste. The dry construction process also reduces PM₂ concentrations by 90% compared to traditional wet methods, making it particularly suitable for sensitive environments such as hospitals and schools.
3. Scenario Adaptation: Tailored Functional Solutions
Building material requirements vary widely across different building scenarios, but gypsum board offers flexible solutions:
Hospital radiology departments use radiation-resistant gypsum board containing barium sulfate, which offers equivalent protection to 2mm lead sheeting at a 40% lower cost.
School classrooms utilize double-layer 12mm gypsum board with 50mm rock wool, achieving a Sound Temperature Class (STC) rating of over 55 and effectively insulating corridor noise.
For humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms, water-resistant gypsum board can withstand humidity levels exceeding 95%, preventing mold growth.
4. Efficiency Revolution: A Time Accelerator for Construction and Renovation
Traditional brick walls take 10 days to construct a 100-square-meter area, while gypsum board partitions take only 3 days, nearly tripling efficiency. The overall cost advantage is even more pronounced: at 120 yuan per square meter, it’s significantly lower than brick walls (200 yuan/square meter) and precast concrete walls (300 yuan/square meter). More importantly, gypsum board walls are easily removable and reusable, making them a perfect fit for frequent commercial space renovations and residential secondary renovations.
5. Design Freedom: Creative Extensions from Straight Lines to Curved Surfaces
Modern architecture increasingly pursues aesthetic form, and the plasticity of gypsum board perfectly meets this need. Tokyo’s Tachikawa Fuji Kindergarten utilizes curved gypsum board walls, achieving both earthquake resistance and acoustic optimization, and even winning the Japan Good Design Award. Whether it’s a flat ceiling, a complexly shaped backdrop, or a perforated, sound-absorbing art installation, gypsum board can easily handle it.
II. Global Import Landscape: Which Countries Are Snatching Up “Made-in-China” Plaster Board?
Global gypsum board production capacity shows a significant regional imbalance—North America, Europe, and East Asia account for over 70% of production capacity, while Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia face significant supply gaps, making them the primary import markets.
1. Africa: A Demand Explosion Amidst Urbanization
Africa is currently the fastest-growing import market, with Tanzania, Kenya, and Egypt being particularly prominent. These countries have an average annual urbanization rate of 2.3%, with residential and commercial real estate markets growing at over 8%. However, there is virtually no large-scale gypsum board production capacity in these countries. For example, after establishing a presence in Tanzania, Beijing New Building Materials (BNBM) quickly took the top spot, with demand primarily coming from public buildings such as hospitals and schools. Egypt’s New Administrative Capital project has also spurred centralized procurement of fire-resistant and antibacterial gypsum board, with Chinese products dominating the market due to their competitive price-performance ratio.
2. Central Asia: A Hotbed for Building Materials Along the Belt and Road Initiative
Driven by a boom in energy development and infrastructure, Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have seen an average annual growth of 18% in gypsum board imports. Despite abundant natural gas resources, deep processing capacity is limited, and 90% of gypsum products are imported. Leveraging their industrial chain advantages, Chinese companies have managed to keep the average export price of gypsum board 30% lower than that of Europe and the United States. BNBM’s joint venture factory in Uzbekistan has achieved a “local production + regional expansion” strategy.
3. Southeast Asia: A Stable Market Under Policy Dividends
Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other countries are traditional export destinations for Chinese gypsum board. RCEP tariff concessions have maintained export growth at 18%. These countries have strong demand for residential renovations, with standard paper-faced gypsum board and decorative gypsum board being the most popular. Vietnam, for example, imports over 20 million square meters of gypsum board annually. Chinese products, due to their low transportation costs and short delivery times, are the preferred choice for local building materials manufacturers.
4. Middle East: High-end Demand Drives Import Dependence
Although Gulf states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia have strong financial resources, they have limited gypsum board production capacity and a preference for high-end products. Saudi Arabia’s “Vision 2030” infrastructure projects have a huge demand for fire-resistant and moisture-proof gypsum board. Through technological upgrades, Chinese companies are now able to supply fire-resistant panels that meet the British BS 476 standard. Exports to the UAE are expected to increase by 37% year-on-year in 2024.
III. Conclusion: What Makes Gypsum Board a “Global Passport”?
From sterile hospital wards to colorful kindergarten walls, from new urban areas in Africa to skyscrapers in the Middle East, the widespread use of gypsum board is driven by the evolving demand for safe, environmentally friendly, and efficient construction. For importing countries, it addresses the pain points of insufficient domestic production capacity and high costs. For Chinese companies, the comprehensive supply chain and technological adaptability are making “Made in China” a top choice in the global construction market. With the emergence of new products like self-healing gypsum board and intelligent humidity-control panels, this building materials revolution is poised to continue.
