Gypsum Association Celebrates 90 Years!

The Gypsum Association (GA) is pleased to announce the start of its 90th year in service to the gypsum industry. A not-for-profit trade association, the Association’s mission is to promote the use of gypsum while advancing the development, growth, and general welfare of the gypsum industry. Founded in Chicago, IL, on April 17, 1930, the Association replaced an informal research and standard-setting group.

To be eligible for membership in the GA a firm, or corporation, must be established in the business of calcining gypsum and manufacturing gypsum board in accordance with ASTM Standard C1396 within the United States, Canada or Mexico. Member companies include active gypsum panel (aka gypsum board or drywall) manufacturers in the United States and Canada. The membership is composed of the following companies: American Gypsum Company, CertainTeed Gypsum, Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC, National Gypsum Company, PABCO Gypsum and USG Corporation.

The GA oversees research and testing programs in acoustics, fire, and the general physical properties of gypsum panels and is active in building codes and standard setting bodies. A staffed technical call center fields questions from architects, specifiers, builders, contractors and code officials. Most inquiries are answered by consulting a library of GA technical publications, the majority of which are free. The code-referenced GA-600 Fire Resistance and Sound Control Design Manual, now in its 22nd edition, is the Association’s flagship publication. The manual is offered in both print and digital formats.

While the GA’s mission is unchanged, over the decades, the Association’s work on behalf of the industry has broadened considerably. For example, industry average life-cycle assessment tools have been produced under the aegis of the Association since 2013. Starting last year, a series of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) in video format have been offered on gypsum.org and YouTube. An instructional Guide to GA-600-2018 video provides a user-friendly overview of the 400 page manual and has been viewed more than a thousand times since its publication in June 2019.

“Few Associations can claim as long a history as the GA and we are proud to have reached this 90-year milestone,” said Stephen H. Meima, executive director, Gypsum Association. “The Association’s founders could not have anticipated much of the work we do today; but they would doubtless be pleased that the mission of the Association has remained relevant throughout these many years.”