Lancashire firm invests £12m in brick slip manufacturing plant
A Lancashire building products company is to invest £12m in its Accrington factory which will make clay brick slips.
Forterra aims to capitalise on growing market demand for brick slips, which combine the finish of traditional brick with a range of sustainability benefits, such as a reduction in raw material and energy usage compared with existing production methods.
The company expects to begin manufacture at the site in late 2023, which will see the production of up to 48 million slips a year.
Up to 10 jobs will be created through the investment.
Brick slips, or ‘thin bricks’ as they are sometimes known, are specially manufactured brick tiles which have the appearance, colour and texture of an authentic brick wall.
They are typically used to create a façade wall, and are lighter in weight than traditional masonry.
Thanks to a speedier build process, brick slips enable wind and water-tight buildings to be created earlier in the build programme. They also offer many of the benefits of standard bricks, including long term durability, and easy and low cost maintenance.
The Accrington plant has been making bricks for more than 100 years. It is famed for its NORI bricks, whose iron-hard resistance and strength have been used in the construction of famous buildings such as the Empire State Building.
Currently estimated at around 120 million units per annum, the brick slip market is predicted to grow significantly over the next few years, with a large proportion of the increase driven by the expansion of the modular construction market, as well as through a growing demand for new fire-safe façade solutions suitable for high rise constructions.
Forterra chief executive, Stephen Harrison, said: “This investment will allow Forterra to continue to be a leading player in innovation across the construction industry.
“We’re always on the watch for exciting new developments which can both reduce costs and secure an eco-friendly and sustainable output – the brick slips investment is a really exciting venture which will streamline our production and provide long term benefits, not only to the industry as a whole, but also to the Accrington area.”
