Case Study: Winstone Wallboards Ltd (GIB®) reduces plasterboard waste and cuts carbon emissions with thinkstep-anz

Circular economy reducing carbon emissions in plasterboard

Winstone Wallboards Ltd (GIB®), New Zealand’s sole gypsum plasterboard manufacturer, faced the challenge of cutting embodied carbon in buildings by reducing plasterboard waste from manufacturing and construction. They engaged thinkstep-anz for sustainability strategy, carbon footprinting and circular-economy advice to target a 30% reduction in construction plasterboard waste without changing product design.

thinkstep-anz helped implement a Designing out Waste programme that includes wider and make-to-order board sizes (custom orders from 100+), contract clauses and logistics planning to reduce offcuts, regional partnerships to recycle manufacturing and site gypsum for agricultural use, and a new Tauriko plant to recycle plasterboard into new product. The measures have reduced offcuts, landfill waste and associated GHGs, lowered production needs (for example, cutting waste from 20% to 10% reduces boards required from 125 to 112), and delivered cost, risk and ESG benefits.

Winstone Wallboards Ltd (GIB®)