The Brick Development Association (BDA) has said the latest ONS figures for brick production in the UK have revealed a remarkable story of manufacturing investment.
August 2018 reportedly saw 21% more bricks being produced in the UK compared with August 2017. When comparing the figure to August 2016 (a 39% rise) it highlights a consistent growth in output resulting from increased capacity across the sector.
For the rolling 12-month period ending August 2018, there was a 9.4% increase over the previous 12-month period.
NHBC housebuilding figures also showed that the number of plots under construction in August 2018 was up 2% on the previous year, with the rolling 3-month figure on housing, starting in August 2018, up 6.7%.
Brick Development Association’s Tom Farmer, explained: “There has been considerable comment on brick supply issues over the last two years. The industry has proved remarkably responsive to increased demand, with all the major players investing to increase production capacity. The supply chain is also importing stock from the EU in order to bolster supply in the short term.
“It is heartening to see UK manufacturing making long-term investments in plant, people and technology. Brave decisions were made when the housebuilding sector started to show signs of recovery and the increasing production numbers show the results of those decisions.”
In addition to increasing production volume, the BDA also points to the Mace Business School estimate of lead times for brickwork which, at 11 weeks, is well below the 28-60 week lead times quoted for other cladding materials.
