The number of bricks
manufactured in the UK rose by a healthy 10% compared to January 2017,
according to ONS figures released on 7 March.
This shows UK
manufacturers continuing to increase production numbers, building on the
10-year high of 2 billion bricks that was recorded for 2017.
Deliveries also showed
an increase, with the year-on-year comparison showing a 9.3% rise over the last
twelve months.
To put this in
context, NHBC figures showed a 5% rise in the number of new houses completed in
2017 over the previous year – suggesting that rising brick production is more
than keeping pace with increases in housebuilding.
Supply chain issues,
focused mainly on the complexities surrounding the huge variety of brick
product types under production, lead to pinch points in the availability of
some types of brick in some areas. Historically an industry that has had
to rely on significant stock building to meet the demand for a wide range of
brick types, manufacturers have responded to market demands with significant
investment in new production capacity.
Two major
manufacturers – Ibstock and Forterra – confirmed this week their timetable for
bringing new capacity on line.
“This figure shows the
resilience and commitment of UK brick manufacturers” summarises BDA’s Tom
Farmer.
“Our manufacturers
have increased their production and we see the sector investing for further
increases in brick numbers over the next year. Our manufacturers predict
that demand from the housebuilding sector in particular will remain strong and
are planning accordingly.”
