BPB yesterday hosted a visit for institutional shareholders to the group’s combined plasterboard and building plasters facility at Vaujours, near Paris, to provide an update on its site development plans and European capacity expansion programme.
Richard Cousins, BPB chief executive, outlined the progress being achieved by BPB to meet anticipated medium-term sales growth for plasterboard across Europe, highlighting the following capital investment initiatives:
- upgrading of the Vaujours facility by late 2008, to increase BPB’s national plasterboard capacity by about 25% to meet expected volume growth of 5% to 6% pa
- construction of a new medium-sized UK plant at Sherburn, near Leeds, due to come on-stream in early 2007 to meet expected volume growth of 5% to 6% pa
- new capacity for Romania and surrounding markets, with the recent commissioning ahead of schedule of a plant adjacent to BPB’s plaster facility at Turda, to meet expected volume growth of around 10% pa
- construction of a new 26 million square metre capacity facility near Madrid, scheduled for completion in late 2006, which will almost double BPB’s Spanish output to meet expected volume growth of 10% to 12% pa
- plans for three new medium-sized plants in Eastern Europe by 2010 to serve rapidly growing markets
Commenting on the shareholder visit and the group’s European plasterboard expansion programme, Richard Cousins said:
“Our plans to significantly expand capacity at Vaujours are progressing well and form a key part of the capital investment programme now underway. This will see BPB increasing its European plasterboard capacity by one-third over the next five years to meet our regional growth objectives.”
Notes to editors
- BPB is the world leader in the supply of plasterboard and gypsum plasters, and a major supplier of insulation, ceiling tiles and related products for interiors, serving growing markets for building systems in over 50 countries.
ENDS
Contacts:
Faeth Birch, Finsbury (020 7251 3801)
Available on BPB’s website: www.bpb.com
