ACS Industry Insights – Ibstock, The Future Of The Brick

For thousands of years clay bricks have been the key material for construction, deeply woven into the architectural identity of the nation thanks to their durability and charm. In fact, they are so ingrained in our landscapes and cities that often we don’t question their use or consider why they have remained the number one building component for generations.

Back to basics

As the largest manufacturer of bricks in the UK, Ibstock has become the basis of much inquiry as we proactively engage in conversations about the future of the brick, and how it can be more sustainable and malleable in an ever-changing world. The Ibstock business dates back 200 years, and today we operate from 34 manufacturing sites across the UK, making a diverse range of building products and solutions. In terms of clay bricks – 16 of the sites are focused on manufacturing bricks to the highest quality standards, with a large amount going to the housing market so you could say we’re highly invested in its evolution.

Whilst clay bricks have served us majestically for centuries, it’s hugely important that like everything else, we continue to evolve the methods in which they are made, and the form in which they are created to continually improve their merits.

At Ibstock, this means questioning everything about how they are designed and made – from their shape, size, use and approach to the manufacturing, so they can continue to reign as the British construction staple they have undoubtedly become.

Conscious construction

We’re very aware that the process of making bricks uses a lot of energy – and whilst that’s counteracted by their durability and longevity in a building, we are committed to reducing this impact in alignment with a net zero future. Whilst the technology and sustainable solutions for lower carbon methods do exist, incorporating them into the infrastructure of brick making – and other sectors for that matter – it isn’t an instant fix.

That said, we’re making purposeful strides with significant carbon reduction projects across our estate including our newest Atlas brick factory in Walsall, West Midlands. The factory has integrated the latest technology into our processes and is now emitting c.50% less carbon than the old factory, which is significant. Of course, we’re keen to take the learnings as our ‘pathfinder project’ testing and learning, but this is a marathon and not a sprint, as it will require investment for new technology or transitions to alternative fuels.

Leading change

In terms of sustainability, we are exploring all avenues including analysis of how our factories are run. Our brick sites operate from local quarries with local clay, and we have already delivered projects that recycle heat, produce on-site renewable energy and eliminate unnecessary packaging.

Currently we fire our brick kilns with natural gas but we are exploring alternatives to this. Recently we’ve run successful pilots with synthetic gas – from waste material and hydrogen which offers the potential to switch entirely from gas to a green hydrogen. We’re also considering Biogas (methane) created from renewable sources not fossil fuels so there’s an incredible amount of research, time and investment going on in the background to achieve tangible change

Evolution of a brick

We’re also going back to the drawing board in terms of the shape of a brick. Asking questions such as does a brick need to be that shape and size? Can we create a thinner brick? While historically bricks have been integral to the structure of a building that is rarely the case now with common use of blocks and increasing use of timber frame structures eliminating that requirement.

With that in mind we are open to a whole host of new possibilities – can we take some of the material of the brick out so there is less of it making it more efficient while delivering the same long-lasting qualities? Do we need a full brick or can we use brick-slips? These are all part of the future of the brick in response to the evolving building landscape which features mid to high rises as well as low rise traditional homes. This makes options where brick façades can be created off-site in a factory setting a very attractive proposition – it is why systems like ACS’s Certus™ product is so brilliant.

We are also gearing up to facilitate this future and this year we will be opening our very first, purpose built, ceramic façade factory at our Nostell site in Yorkshire. One element of the site will focus on the pace and scale of brick-slips, with the other larger factory element focused on different ceramic façades that we are very excited about. It enables us to mitigate waste – by creating them in their own brick-slip mould for example – and therefore mitigating waste while meeting the demand for bricks to be the visible façade of choice for the end user

People matter

Like all in the construction sector, we’re faced with the challenge of addressing a skills shortage. At Ibstock, we have several generations of families working in the business and our longstanding colleagues carry a wealth of specialist knowledge and unprecedented experience – down to the intricacies of each brick type they curate.

We are balancing this in two ways – as it is at ACS, with an active apprenticeship programme. Over 75% of our apprentices are still with us after three years, a statistic we’re incredibly proud of. And our commitment for all colleagues to develop at Ibstock with over 7.5% of our employees on formal courses meaning they are learning while they earn. These programmes are valued by colleagues and the business alike and a testament to the commitment, care and career progression we’re able to provide

The legacy of brick

This desire for brick in a visual sense cannot be overlooked – the clay brick aesthetic has become a marker for safety, reliability, durability and comfort. The end user knows that a house built from clay brick is trusted – they know it will last, retain its value and stand the test of time. Amidst a stubborn cost of living crisis with maintenance and repair contracts in shared living spaces this is a critical consideration and another reason the brick remains the country’s number one building material – it will always be in high demand.

From a personal perspective I sometimes feel like things should move quicker, or rather – I wish they would so we could cover more ground more quickly. However, the reality is that lasting change is not a sticking plaster it needs integrating into everything we do and this takes time. We’ve done an incredible amount as a company to drive this forward and will continue to do so.