A development that is exemplary of the current situation in the building materials industry: The Belgian group Etex, an international leader in fiber cement, drywall products and roof systems, is facing significant challenges at its German production site in Beckum. Weakening construction activity in Germany and Europe is forcing the company to implement adjustment measures that could have consequences for its employees.
The Beckum location in Münsterland is traditionally regarded as an important production site for gypsum plasterboard and other drywall elements. Etex employs several hundred people there and primarily supplies the German construction market from this location. The current situation reflects what is already becoming apparent at other building materials manufacturers: demand in construction has declined significantly since mid-2023, particularly in residential construction and commercial projects. Rising interest rates, stricter building regulations and increased material costs have noticeably dampened construction activity.
What concrete measures Etex is planning at the Beckum site is currently being negotiated with the works council. Industry experts expect production adjustments, possibly also short-time work or job cuts – instruments that other manufacturers such as Knauf or Saint-Gobain have already deployed in Germany. The entire drywall sector is suffering from overcapacity after manufacturers invested heavily in capacity expansions during the boom years 2020–2022.
From a strategic perspective, Etex is simultaneously focusing on sustainability initiatives: Together with Heidelberg Materials, the group is advancing industrial fiber cement recycling – a project that should reduce raw material costs and strengthen the circular economy in the long term. Whether such initiatives will be sufficient to cushion current market turbulence remains to be seen. For planners and building materials dealers, the situation primarily means one thing: continued volatile prices and possible supply shortages for specific product lines should further European sites come under pressure.
