Mirant To Supply Synthetic Gypsum To Lafarge Beginning In 2010

Lafarge to convert Buchanan, NY plant to recycled gypsum

By Louise Muth

Lafarge, North America’s largest diversified supplier of construction materials, and Mirant Corporation, a leading U.S.-based competitive energy company, announced that they have signed a long-term agreement under which Mirant, beginning in 2010, will supply synthetic gypsum to Lafarge’s gypsum drywall manufacturing facility in Buchanan, New York.

Reflecting Lafarge’s long-standing commitment to producing “green” products, the company will invest in an upgrade of its Buchanan plant which will enable it to manufacture a full line of gypsum products using this environmentally-friendly material. The supply agreement will also ensure Lafarge’s continuing, cost-effective access to a critical raw material used in its building products. Upon scheduled completion in 2010, the gypsum board manufactured in this plant will exceed 99 percent recycled content by weight and qualify toward the attainment of LEED® credits in the construction of “Green Buildings” throughout the northeastern United States.

Lafarge is an industry leader in the use of synthetic gypsum. With the addition of the Buchanan plant, nearly all of the gypsum board manufactured by Lafarge in North America will be made with 100 percent recycled paper and recycled gypsum. Currently, Lafarge’s Silver Grove, Kentucky plant and Palatka, Florida plant qualify for this distinction.

“This is a major step in our evolution to be the industry leader in gypsum board and the number one supplier of ‘green’ building products,” said Ike Preston, President of Lafarge Gypsum in North America. “This upgrade will allow us to serve virtually all of our trading area with recycled product and assist our customers in meeting the requirements of LEED® certified construction.”

Mirant will transport the synthetic gypsum to Lafarge’s Buchanan facility from its Morgantown and Chalk Point electric generating stations in Maryland. Synthetic gypsum is a by-product created from the sulfur dioxide removal technology currently being constructed at Mirant’s Maryland power plants as part of the company’s $1.6 billion investment in air pollution control technologies.

“Partnering with Lafarge allows Mirant to maximize the environmental benefit from the installation of these systems. The beneficial use of the synthetic gypsum eliminates the need for waste disposal of the by-product,” said Bob Driscoll, CEO, Mirant Mid-Atlantic, LLC.

Lafarge offers a full line of quality drywall and finishing products for commercial and residential construction. In addition to the Buchanan plant, Lafarge operates three other gypsum drywall plants located in Newark, New Jersey; Silver Grove, Kentucky; and Palatka, Florida. In Canada, Lafarge operates one joint compound plant, in Chambly, Quebec.

Mirant is a competitive energy company that produces and sells electricity in the United States. Mirant owns or leases approximately 10,097 megawatts of electric generating capacity. The company operates an asset management and energy marketing organization from its headquarters in Atlanta.