Italian brick and tile production continues to fall

2018 marked the 11th consecutive year of contraction for the Italian brick and tile industry, bringing the total decline since 2007 to 78%.

Production fell by 5.8% with respect to 2017 to 4.53 million tons (-5.6%), with 3.9% of the reduction attributable to the closure of a further 10 plants.

A significant degree of reorganisation took place with the aim of reducing overcapacity (10 million tons). The level of plant usage is estimated at 43% with an average of 155 days of production per year.

In contrast to the downturn that affected almost all types of products, (facing bricks -20.0%; normal bricks and blocks -13.3%; roof tiles -7.5%; floor blocks -6.4%; hollow bricks and hollow tiles -3.0%; lightened paste blocks -2.6%), bases saw 12.5% growth.

Read the complete article published on Brick World Review 2/2019