Historically, gypsum manufacturing
plants tended to be located near gypsum mines and quarries.
However, during the past decade, the increased
use of synthetic gypsum has allowed new plants to be built
much closer to major population centers. Consequently, a significant
percentage of gypsum products distributed in North America
are manufactured in close proximity to where they are installed.
Contemporary green standards typically award
credits for products that are extracted, processed, and/or
manufactured within a specified distance from a jobsite.
In addition, some standards allow credits when materials are
transported to a specific location using a method other than
trucking.
Major U.S. rail carriers can move one ton of
rail freight over 400 miles on one gallon of fuel, according
to the Association of American Railroads.* As access to trucking
has become more difficult and trucking costs have increased
during the past decade, GA member companies are taking advantage
of the benefits of using rail to move products from manufacturing
facilities to end-user locations.
New plants have been specifically
sited to take advantage of the opportunities offered by rail
transit, and a significant percentage of the building material
produced by the members of the GA is shipped using rail transit
methods.
The shipment of gypsum panels requires minimal
packaging. Panels shipped by truck are typically protected
by reusable tarps and reinforced by nominal banding. Interestingly,
the risers used to separate stacks of panels during shipping
and storage are manufactured from gypsum scrap and can be reused
or recycled. |
