UK brick manufacturing hits pre-recession levels

Positive outlook for construction sector as brick manufacturing output reaches 10-year high

THE UK is manufacturing the highest number of bricks for the house building, RMI and commercial sectors in over a decade, according to experts at the recent Independent Builders’ Merchant Forum (IBMF) 2019, hosted by Ibstock.

Nearly 100 representatives from the independent merchant sector gathered at the Forest of Arden Hotel, in the Midlands, for the ‘Best of British’ themed event to hear the latest insights, developments and innovations in the sector.

Speaking at the event, Simon Taylor, builders’ merchants - director of sales at Ibstock, commented: ‘In 2018, UK manufacturers produced over 2 billion bricks in total, which is the highest production output since before the recession hit in 2008.

‘In 2019, the industry as a whole will be on course to manufacture 2.6 billion bricks as confidence continues to grow. This sustained growth over the last decade is extremely encouraging for the UK economy and everyone involved in the building sector.

‘The private housing sector continues to be a key driver of this growth, particularly with the Government committed to building hundreds of thousands of new homes each year and first-time buyer demand being enhanced with the Help to Buy scheme.

‘Then there’s the strength of the RMI sector, which will continue throughout 2019 and beyond as the UK’s ever-growing but aging housing stock will be continually in need of repair and maintenance.’