National Gypsum has announced a new lightweight gypsum board to the market place. Gold Bond® BRAND High Strength Fire-Shield® LITE^TM is 15 percent lighter than standard 5/8-inch Type X gypsum board. It also features a fire-resistant Type X core and is UL Classified and approved for inclusion in specific UL fire-rated designs. The product will be available early next year.

The specially formulated properties of High Strength Fire-Shield LITE offer the potential to improve productivity and reduce transportation costs. In addition to the lower weight, the product offers better working properties including an improved score and snap, reduced dust, and an improved strength-to-weight ratio. High Strength Fire-Shield LITE is the first lightweight Type X product to achieve GREENGUARD Children & Schools^SM Certification.

"High Strength Fire-Shield LITE is a natural extension to our High Strength LITE family," said Steve Cusa, product manager, gypsum systems. It offers an alternative to contractors who value products with less weight in commercial construction and fire-rated designs."