GLC Minerals steps in to assist with gypsum backlog

Heather Graves

Staff

June 17, 2024

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN – Holly Bellmund, president of GLC Minerals, said the Green Bay-based manufacturer’s focus has always been the same – “Keep Businesses Running” (or KBR for short).

“It’s sometimes hard to explain to people what we do,” she said. “So, we tell people, we Keep Businesses Running because we make ingredients for other companies to help support whatever it is they are making.”

Bellmund said the high-quality pure calcium carbonate powder processor is again doing its part to do that – as it steps up to help assist industries (specifically on the East Coast) impacted by supply chain disruptions related to the recent bridge collapse in the Port of Baltimore.

Baltimore’s port, she said, handles the largest volume of gypsum (a sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate) of all U.S. ports, and its partial closure has created challenges for various industries.

“We are nearly 1,000 miles away from the Port of Baltimore, and we’re seeing the impact this event has had on the market,” she said. “We’re pleased to assist and be a stopgap for certain industries until their supply chain is restored.”

GLC Minerals, Bellmund said, manufactures specialized formulas of gypsum used mainly for agronomy, animal nutrition and industrial applications in paints, coatings, sealants, caulks and adhesives.

Following the initial shock of the collapse, Bellmund said GLC Minerals began monitoring the impact it may cause – specifically in terms of gypsum.

“GLC Minerals has been contacted by manufacturers needing an interim supply of specialized gypsum until the flow through the Port of Baltimore is reestablished,” she said. “Our team reached out to the Port of Baltimore to learn more about their current needs, and we’ve geared up to offer assistance.”

Bellmund said not only is this a business opportunity for GLC Minerals – “it is a critical mineral need” for the many companies and industries that rely on the port for its gypsum supply.

“(This) has presented an opportunity for us to rise to the occasion – this is what we are here for,” she said. “We can produce a little more, and we have the right people in place – many of whom have been with us for decades – to produce a quality product for customers.”

Bellmund said GLC Minerals is proud to support other businesses and be a part of the big-picture economy.

“It’s a point of pride to help other businesses continue to operate and grow to help their customers and members grow,” she said. “This is meaningful work – we keep animals fed, we keep building projects going – things people use all day, every day.”

Bellmund said GLC Minerals has already begun shipping materials to some East Coast companies to support their operations and continues to reach out to others.

“We are reaching out to the company we know could use us and letting them know we are a highly qualified supplier (that can help meet their needs), but we may not be a well-known name in their market,” she said.

Bellmund said gypsum is sometimes sold in bulk by the truck.

“GLC Minerals also packages gypsum in 50-pound bags and in super sacks – which is a 2,000-pound big, white bag,” she said. “Those can also be shipped in trucks, and then being located in Green Bay, we are on the Canadian National Railroad, so we ship things out in rail cars as well.”

Closure’s impact

Located in a port city itself, Bellmund said GLC Minerals understands the impact a shutdown can have – not only to the city but the companies and industries that rely on it.

“We are sympathetic to the Port of Baltimore – especially because we understand the impact,” she said. “The port impacts a lot of jobs and the affordability of things – because so much can be brought in by vessels. A truck can bring in 25 tons, a ship can bring in 25,000 tons.”

Being located on the Port of Green Bay, Bellmund said allows GLC Minerals to bring in cost-effective minerals to sustain industry in the Midwest.

“We source minerals from around the Great Lakes and bring them to Green Bay to make them available locally, which would otherwise not be available – minerals don’t just occur wherever you want them to,” she said.

Locally, Bellmund said GLC Minerals heavily supports the dairy industry.

“We have been making animal feed for decades – we are well known for doing that,” she said.