Wienerberger has a responsibility to ensure that natural resources are available for future generations. Explore the key stages of our production process and how we manage resources below
Production
Find out how we manage natural resources including energy, water and biodiversity at our factories around the UK.
- How are our products made?
How are our products made?
Brick making is both a science and an art. Wienerberger produces a diverse range of clay products in various dimensions, textures and colours, which requires the skills of material scientists, engineers, geologists, and project managers to name just a few. The principles behind producing bricks, pavers and clay roof tiles are similar.
Raw materials
The most important raw material for our ceramic products (bricks, pavers and roof tiles) is clay, however sand, additives and colour pigments are included in the product mix. Most of our factories have a dedicated quarry in close proximity to the factory, resulting in very short transport distances for clay to the production site. This also means Wienerberger has good oversight of the environmental and social practices for the majority of our material supply chain. When quarries reach their end of life they are restored to natural habitats where wildlife can flourish.
Preparation
Following extraction from a quarry, the clay is prepared by grinding and milling to achieve consistency and homogeneity in particle size. Water, sand and other additives such as recycled or secondary-sourced materials are mixed with the clay at this stage.
Shaping
The two most common types of brick are named after the way they formed. An extruded brick is produced when clay is pressed into shape through extrusion dies and subsequently cut into individual bricks. Whereas soft mud bricks, with their higher moisture content, are pressed into singular molds then turned out onto a tray.
Wienerberger's roof tiles have custom designed moulds in which our innovative products are formed. These allow us to create new shapes and product features which make Wienerberger roof tiles unique.
Drying
The shaped products are then stacked on re-usable metal pallets or kiln cars and transported to the dryer. The drying process prepares the bricks for firing by extracting moisture from the soft "green" bricks. Depending on the type of product, the drying period ranges from 4 to 45 hours. During this time, the moisture content drops to below 2%.
Firing
After drying, the products are transferred to a kiln where they fired in the range 1000-1100oC. This high temperature is necessary to establish the inherent durability, strength and fire-resistance associated with clay construction products. Wienerberger engineers are continuously working to reduce the energy consumption of the firing process. Innovations in raw material management, kiln technologies and firing techniques have all improved our energy efficiency in recent years.
Packaging and delivery
After the fired products have cooled, they undergo a quality inspection and are packed ready for dispatch. We use recyclable plastic shrink wrap hood and strapping that provide the necessary protection for transportation whilst using the minimum quantity of packaging. The majority of Wienerberger bricks and pavers are stacked in a pattern that allows transportation by forklifts without use of a wooden pallet, however pallets are used for transporting roof tiles and some higher value products.
With factories located in the south, midlands and north of England, transport distances between production and construction sites can be kept to a minimum, further reducing the environmental impact of our operations.
- Raw materials
Raw materials
Although our primary raw materials (clay, sand, water) are geologically abundant, Wienerberger recognises this will not always be the case and seeks to ‘do more with less’ through a number of resource efficiency initiatives
Zero clay waste in production
Our factories pursue zero clay waste in production by returning off-cuts from the shaping process and imperfect unfired products to the clay stockpile. This clay is then reused in future production runs. Where fired ceramic products are deemed not to have met our high quality standards, these can be crushed and recycled either in the manufacturing process, or sold on as aggregate.
Recycled content
Wienerberger’s inclusion of materials from alternative, recycled, and secondary sources (MARSS) reduces the consumption of virgin clay resources and, by utilising by-products from other industries, Wienerberger diverts material from landfill. The percentage of MARSS used varies by factory and by product, so please request current MARSS percentage content when ordering.
Dematerialisation
Wienerberger has embraced the challenge to ‘do more with less’ by investing in R&D to make our products strong, light and efficient. This has led to the release of new brick products, as well as the innovative Thin Leading Edge (TLE) concrete roof tile and the 20/20 New Generation clay plain tile.
- Energy and carbon dioxide emissions
Energy and carbon dioxide emissions
Wienerberger’s Sustainability Roadmap 2020 defines challenging targets to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions
Energy is an essential ingredient for Wienerberger’s manufacturing process: we require temperatures in excess of 1000°C to transform clay into a strong and durable ceramic construction product. We also need energy to prepare, shape and pack our products.
The CO2 emissions generated from energy consumption in the brick and roof tile manufacturing process can be divided into two categories: direct emissions from combustion (the burning of gas and oils) and indirect emissions related to electricity generation. However, a third source of carbon dioxide emissions exists, called process emissions, which are released from clay during firing.
Climate change is a real and significant challenge to which Wienerberger responds in several ways:
- Committing to reduce our CO2 emissions by 20% of 2013 levels by 2020.
- Manufacturing durable construction products that require low maintenance over their long lifespan.
- Procuring renewable electricity for use in all our factories and offices.
- Utilising an ISO 50001 certified Energy Management System (EMS) for effective energy management.
- Recovering waste heat in the manufacturing process to reduce gas consumption.
- Championing energy-efficient building design concepts such as the e4 house.
- Producing resilient building materials that continue to perform despite a changing climate.
- Transport and packaging
Transport and packaging
Our sustainability strategy extends beyond the factory gate
Packaging
The majority of Wienerberger bricks and pavers are stacked in a pattern that allows transportation by forklifts without use of a pallet. Wooden pallets are generally only used for transporting special shaped bricks and roof tiles, after which the pallets can be returned to our concrete roof tile sites for recycling. Wienerberger uses recyclable plastic shrink wrap hood and strapping that provide the necessary protection for transportation whilst using the minimum quantity of packaging.
Transport
With our national spread of factory sites and strategically placed distribution hubs, transport distances to construction sites can be kept to a minimum. Wienerberger’s contracted road hauliers have an ISO 14001 certified Environmental Management System and use trucks fitted with technology to minimise noise and reduce emissions to Euro 6 standard. To minimise the environmental impact of transporting our products a full load delivery price incentive is used. If this is not possible, we aim to group orders to achieve a full load delivery. When importing products from Europe we charter vessels that carry around 850,000 bricks per load, attaining lower emissions per mile than the equivalent road transport.
- Water
Water
Water is an essential ingredient for manufacturing bricks, clay roof tiles and pavers, so it’s vital that we use water responsibly
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Our factories are able to reduce their total water consumption by directly reusing water for washing product moulds or by recycling water for use in other applications such as HGV wheel washing.
Innovation in production
We have partnered with water experts from both consultancies and universities to identify opportunities to save water and reduce our water footprint. This has led to a better understanding of water quality thresholds which in turn has enabled us to replace mains water (drinking quality) with water from non-mains sources such as rainwater harvesting and our onsite lagoons. These innovations increase our resilience to water supply shortages.
- Waste
Waste
We recognise that the best way to manage waste is not to create it in the first place. There is a strong emphasis on product quality management at Wienerberger as ‘getting it right first time’ conserves energy, water and raw materials as well as preventing waste
Product design
By designing for durability and material efficiency at the outset, Wienerberger avoids creating waste at our factories. It also ensures that products arrive with our customers in good condition and that they perform well in situ.
Recycling fired product
If a fired product does not meet our strict quality tests, it will be separated and recycled. Common recycling routes include crushing for aggregate or recycling back into our manufacturing process.
Waste management on-site
Nearly all the waste resulting from the manufacture of clay construction products is non-hazardous. Very small quantities of hazardous waste are sent to specialist contractors with some, such as oily rags and electronics, being recycled for further use. For non-hazardous materials, Wienerberger achieves high recycling rates. Where possible we return used materials and equipment to our suppliers for direct reuse or recycling.
- Biodiversity
Biodiversity
Wienerberger promotes biodiversity at our sites and in the wider community
Our operations of quarrying and manufacturing have created a variety of habitats which, when combined with the land that we own and manage, provides for a biodiverse landscape. Even industrial buildings and active quarries are home to wildlife such as nesting birds, insects and wildflowers.
Biodiversity in and around our factories
Many Wienerberger sites have areas listed as nationally important Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or local designations for ecological or geological significance. These sites are managed to maintain and promote biodiversity in conjunction with Natural England and relevant local authorities. Our management techniques include hedgerow planting, coppicing on rotation and mowing to maintain wildflowers and herbs which in turn support a variety of insects and small mammals.
Beyond the factory gate
In addition to sponsoring local Wildlife Trusts in the areas we operate, Wienerberger has partnered with the ecological consultancy EcoSurv to produce a bespoke range of bird and bat boxes which can be discretely built-in to housing developments and extensions, a subtle way of promoting biodiversity within the urban and suburban landscape.
