A specialist brick manufacturer says demand is increasing for bespoke brickwork after securing its first export contract in Asia.
Bellingdon, in the heart of Buckinghamshire is where H.G. Matthews have retained the skills and infrastructures to produce such distinctive bricks, and interest from overseas is growing.
An independent bakery in Japan is the latest company to use H.G. Matthews bricks to restore a derelict building to its former glory. In what might be perceived as a dome-shaped industrial unit in the heart of Toyohashi, Japan, the shop owner explains it was his admiration for British culture and heritage that drew him to using the bricks to define the building.
Yoshiaki Amano, owner of Kon-Tiki bakery, said: “We wanted the interior of the building to offer an authentic British style. I personally have an admiration for British culture and we chose H.G. Matthews bricks to replicate a historic feel and look.
“The beauty of the bricks and unique colours and glazing are what attracted me to them in the first instance. The inspiration for the building design has been drawn from visiting Britain and in particular some of the traditional architectural styles you see on show in London.”
What remained from the building that stood on the site before the bakery was a collapsed wall. The shop that stands today is an entirely new building, with the collapsed wall being restored using H.G. Matthews bricks as part of the redevelopment project.
Jim Matthews, third-generation owner and managing director at H.G. Matthews, said: “Britain trades on its heritage and like many industries, brick manufacturing has seen production concentrated in fewer and fewer, but much larger factories. The demand we’re seeing from overseas shows further solidarity of a growing trend that property developers abroad are looking for bespoke building materials. Exporting to a developed market like Asia gives us great confidence that we can continue to grow and supply to other prosperous markets abroad.
“The techniques we use are rooted in tradition and produce such unique, distinctive bricks to match or echo the feel and look of an historic British building. It is not only on sites where traditional buildings stood before or those surrounded by a historic backdrop that traditional products and manufacturing processes are coming to the fore. They also feature in high-end apartment blocks and new build homes.”
H.G. Matthews, renowned for reviving the lost art of wood-firing bricks, an ancient technique that was at its height in the 18th Century, is seeing demand increasing for such traditional materials.
Integral to H.G. Matthews business model is the clay used to mould the bricks which is dug from original deposits around Bellingdon and from nearby Chalfont St. Giles. The manufacturing process that each brick goes through at H.G. Matthews is closed-loop. This starts from the clay that the company sources from the surrounding land to mould the bricks, to the sustainable biomass used to dry the bricks, through to the conservation of nearby woodlands.
Jim Matthews added: “We’re not only seeing increased demand from the heritage and conservation sectors but also those looking to develop brand new properties and recreate an authentic look. We are confident of building on the project in Japan by continuing to supply to International markets.”
