Chinese Drywall Maker Reaches Settlement

If walls could talk, the ones in your new home might say "thank you." Especially if they are sulfur-oozing, health-hazardous ones manufactured in China.

In a move to quell the controversy over homes built with defective drywall, Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co., a German-owned exporter of the Chinese-made product, has reached a settlement with Atlanta-based builder Beazer Homes USA, Inc., reports The Wall Street Journal.

This agreement is the first of around 200 lawsuits filed against Knauf for its faulty drywall, as the company races to keep the matter out of court.

As home construction surged during the boom, Knauf's product, which is also called gypsum board, was imported and slapped into the construction of many residences across America.