The Hindu Business Line : FACT forms pact to make gypsum-based building materials

Kochi, Feb. 13 Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT) has signed an MoU with Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) and Australia-based Rapid Building Systems (RBS) for supply of technology, licence and critical equipment for manufacturing fibreglass-reinforced gypsum load-bearing wall panels from phosphogypsum.

The new plant for producing gypsum-based building materials is to be erected at FACT’s premises at Ambalamedu at a cost of Rs 80 crore and is expected to come onstream in May 2009. The plant would produce 14 lakh sq. metres of load-bearing panels per annum and other products like wall plaster and wall putty.

RBS, which is to impart technology for the venture, has said that FACT’s gypsum is of superior quality. The gypsum will be converted into load-bearing materials like rapidwall, a revolutionary concept in house building.

Rapidwall use

The use of rapidwall would reduce the use of traditional building materials such as steel, cement, concrete, bricks, river sand, and timber. Rapid growth in construction sector has already taken the use of these scarce materials beyond sustainable levels.

“Rapidwall is an efficient eco-friendly alternative building material available at a competitive cost, and comes with several benefits. Rapidwalls are manufactured in the moulding process, using glass-fibre reinforced water-resistant gypsum plaster and adhesives. These panels are currently being used in Australia, China and Malaysia,” a press release from FACT said.

It can save up to 25 per cent in the cost of construction and up to 50 per cent in the time taken for construction.

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