The Brick Industry has seen a rapid increase in the demand for bricks since the launch of initiatives such as Help to Buy Scheme in October 2013, a welcome sight after a devastating decade for British manufacturing. Operating brick factories have diminished by almost 40% since 2007, which has had a drastic effect on the loss of skilled labour, not to mention businesses that pride themselves on producing beautiful and durable clay products.
Supportive Government initiatives which help to boost the UK housing market, coupled with substantial company investment in production and infrastructure, Martin Warner, Chief Executive Officer at MBH PLC, explains their efforts to sustain this upturn to brick manufacturing. “Through analysis of the current manufacturing climate we are continuing our rolling programme of investment, to increase production by 6.5 million units per annum. Additionally designers have encouraged a new appreciation for contemporary brick products and applications, allowing our company to take sole position as ‘Britain’s Brick Specialists’ promoting an innovative approach to techniques, software and skills at the forefront of consumer demand.”
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Martin explains, “The Industry has had four years making less bricks than we have sold because there was a stockpile. Then the Government’s Help to Buy scheme, to kick-start the housing market, took hold and demand picked up. Help to Buy started picking up in May last year when the brick stock reached equilibrium. After five years of grief, of closures, of laying people off, the lights have come on again.”
There are four types of ‘help to buy’ schemes available from the affordable home ownership initiative, set by the Government. These include equity loans, open to both first-time buyers and home movers on new-build homes worth up to £600,000. Shared ownership schemes are also provided through housing associations where you buy a share of your home (between 25% and 75% of the home’s value) and pay rent on the remaining share. NewBuy allows you to buy a newly built home with a deposit of only 5% of the purchase price or finally you have the option of a Help to Buy mortgage guarantee which also helps you buy a home with a deposit of only 5%.
Continuous commitment to investment
With haulage, the cost of bricks for the typical 1,000 square foot home is £3,000, which is less than half the cost of a new kitchen. The whole journey from ‘quarry to lorry’ averages 10 weeks. However at some of MBH PLC’s other sites, such as Blockleys, this process only takes between five to seven days. A substantial upgrade to increase production at the Freshfield Lane site will result in new machinery and infrastructure, to meet the rising brick demand. This will more importantly create jobs for the local community, for a product which is primarily delivered locally. With a continuous commitment to investment the company will substantially increase their production output however there is little it can do to cut manufacturing times, in order to continue producing premium bricks of such high quality. Recently MBH PLC has won several contracts such as Elephant and Castle Regeneration and Nottingham Railway Station, along with many prestigious London landmarks. Two months ago ‘Britain’s Brick Specialists’ were awarded several of the Brick Development Association’s 2013 Brick Awards, including the Supreme Award with Ortus, Maudsley Learning Centre, designed by Duggan Morris Architects (featured above).
