New plasterboard production facility in Bristol (UK) is Etex’s largest investment ever

Building materials group Etex plans to build a new plasterboard plant in Portbury close to the port of Bristol, in South West England. The capital expenditure will reach more than GBP 140 million, the largest investment of its kind in Etex history. This will be the fifth new plant since 2015. With the new Bristol facility, Etex will be ideally positioned to support the ongoing growth of the UK construction market and its customers. The plant is scheduled to be commissioned in 2022.

Etex is not new to the UK. The company’s plasterboard business has operated in the UK for over 30 years and supplies the UK and Irish markets from its two plasterboard plants in Bristol and Ferrybridge. The new facility will be adjacent to the existing Bristol plant.

Increased capacity to support the construction industry and its customers in the UK

Etex is a leading plasterboard player in the UK, selling its products and solutions under the Siniat brand. “Our new Bristol factory will be a key driver to further strengthen our position in the UK, which is the largest plasterboard market in Europe”, affirms Paul Van Oyen, CEO of Etex.

With extra production capacity, the new Bristol plant will increase Etex’s service level to its customers in the UK and all over Europe. “The UK is facing a chronic housing shortage and an increasing number of older homes require renovation, boosting the demand for both our plasterboard and off-site solutions.”

Paul Van Oyen adds: “The new facility will enable Etex to meet the demand for high-quality building materials and allow the company to establish and strengthen long-term relationships with its customers based on trust and proximity”.

A state-of-the-art production facility to begin operations in 2022

Besides being easily accessible through the port of Bristol, the new production facility will also adhere to the most stringent environmental, health and safety standards. To that aim, various innovations will be implemented, including a rainwater harvesting system, technologies with best-in-class energy performance and the use of recycled gypsum.

“As a result of this major investment, Etex confirms its ambition to be a focussed player in lightweight construction with plasterboard, fibre cement and passive fire protection solutions”, Paul Van Oyen concludes.

About Etex:

Etex is an international building materials specialist; the company wants to inspire people around the world to build living spaces that are ever more safe, sustainable, smart and beautiful.

Founded in 1905, headquartered in Belgium, Etex is a family-owned company with 14,500 employees globally. It operates 113 production sites in 42 countries and generated a revenue of EUR 2.9 billion and a REBITDA of EUR 405 million in 2018. Etex fosters a collaborative and caring culture, a pioneering spirit and a passion to always do better for its customers.

Building on its experience and global market needs, the company strives to improve its customers quality of living with ever more effective lightweight solutions. Its three R&D centres support four global sales divisions:

• Building Performance: dry construction solutions including plasterboards and fibre cement boards, plasters and formulated products, passive fire protection and associated products.
• Exteriors: a range of aesthetic fibre cement materials for use in agriculture, architectural and residential exteriors.
• Residential Roofing: concrete and clay roof systems including tiles and roofing components.
• Industry: fire protection and high performance insulation products for the construction and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) industries.