Michelmersh Brick Holdings has completed an expansion project to increase manufacturing capacity by 6m bricks at its Sussex-based Freshfield Lane brickworks.
The £2.2m expansion project extends capacity at the plant by 20%. Completed within budget and on schedule, the plant now has a capability of producing 36m bricks per annum.
The investment encompassed a new clay preparation area, an additional brick making machine, extending drier capacity and the erection of a new ‘clamp’ for firing the bricks.
The project, which took a year to complete, was managed internally and utilised the group’s engineering team. The additional output arrives at a time of current brick shortages in the UK and increasing prices, and has been achieved with no increase to the overhead base.
The board can confirm that trading across the group has been strong in this early part of the year. The group's final results for the year ended 31 December, 2014 will be released on 23 March, 2015.
Martin Warner, CEO, said: “The group continues to perform well and we are pleased to have achieved this expansion within budget and on schedule and look forward to seeing the benefits come into fruition for Michelmersh Brick Holdings going forward.”
