Carlton Brick is building for the future

THE grime and camaraderie of colliery life is long gone, but the South Yorkshire pit village of Grimethorpe is still a hive of industry.

Carlton Brick, which was founded by the local colliery in 1879, is gearing up for expansion when the recovery in residential property begins in earnest.

New brick-drying chambers have been installed in a multi-million pound investment by Yorkshire's biggest privately-owned brick maker.

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Twenty-two chambers have been installed by Carlton Brick in an investment backed by Yorkshire Bank's Leeds Financial Solutions Centre (FSC).

The dryers replace an outdated system of 28 chambers, built half a century ago, where air heated by gas burners was circulated using fans and flues.

Oliver Stephenson, Carlton Brick chairman, whose family became involved in the business in the 1960s, says: "The downturn has proved to be a useful time for this. We were not able to slow down in 2007 and 2008 because we had to meet our customers' requirements for secure supplies of brick.

"During the recession demand slowed dramatically...I remain extremely concerned by the fragile economy. Housebuilders' fortunes largely depend on sales to first-time-buyers and they are currently experiencing extreme difficulty in obtaining mortgages.

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"The mortgage sector must relax its lending before housebuilding can get moving again but I don't see this happening for at least a year."

Carlton Brick broke away from the local colliery when the coal industry was nationalised after the Second World War. Today the 6m turnover business, led by managing director Kevin Wilson, has 60 different brick types, and 75 staff. It sells bricks throughout the UK to builders' merchants, construction companies, local authorities, housebuilders and housing associations.

As the industry has contracted, Carlton Brick's market share has grown from 1.5 per cent to 2.5 per cent of UK brick making, despite production falling by 25 per cent.

Mr Stephenson said: "We are not witnessing any green shoots of recovery yet although winter always represents poor trading for heavy building materials."

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