State-of-the-art brick production: Wienerberger modernizes factory in Romania | 17.09.24

State-of-the-art brick production: Wienerberger modernizes factory in Romania

• The brick factory in Berca, Romania, was transformed into a highly efficient, state-of-the-art facility with reduced raw material consumption and significant CO2 savings
• Products and solutions produced in Berca make a significant contribution to the construction of net-zero buildings

Vienna, September 17, 2024 – As part of its ongoing investment in the comprehensive environmental transformation of its global value chain, wienerberger, the leading international supplier of innovative solutions for the entire building envelope, has modernized its brick factory in Berca, Romania, over the past 8 months. Sustainability was a key focus of this investment and the factory meets the highest standards in terms of efficiency and environmental impact. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, it improves production efficiency while reducing resource use. In addition, carbon emissions will be reduced by around 4,000 tons per year thanks to a new drying process. The factory was officially reopened on September 16.

Wienerberger has been present in Romania since 1998 and is one of the largest manufacturers of building materials in the country. With Berca, the company operates a total of seven production sites in the country and employs around 550 people. The production site is located near Bucharest, a city with significant construction activity and strong demand for Wienerberger products, which support the development of net-zero buildings.

Step towards sustainability and climate neutrality

Heimo Scheuch, CEO of Wienerberger, says: “The Romanian market is of great importance to us. I am therefore particularly pleased that we are opening our next state-of-the-art ecological factory in Berca. This step will not only strengthen the regional economy, but also take us further on our path to resource-saving and sustainable production. With these and other innovative solutions, we will achieve climate neutrality across the entire value chain by 2050.”

As a center of excellence for sustainable production, the Berca brickworks is continuously being further developed with new technologies. This makes the plant an essential part of Wienerberger’s overall sustainability strategy. As part of its sustainability program, Wienerberger is pursuing ambitious goals. With a focus on decarbonization, a circular economy and biodiversity, among other things, the company is setting a course for a sustainable and desirable future for future generations and supporting the European Green Deal. The program’s goals will be updated every three years, most recently in 2023. Among other things, the company will reduce its emissions in production by 25% by 2026 and increase the share of recyclable or reusable products sold to more than 90%. In addition, 75% of total sales of building materials will be generated by products for the construction of net-zero buildings with a neutral carbon footprint by then. This makes Wienerberger a leading driver on the path to a sustainable construction industry.

The reopening was attended by Romanian Minister of Investments and European Funds Adrian Câciu, Romanian Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Radu-Ștefan Oprea, local and central authorities, key business partners and representatives of the local and national press.

wienerberger
wienerberger is a leading international supplier of innovative, ecological solutions for the entire building envelope, in the areas of new construction and renovation, as well as infrastructure in water and energy management. With more than 20,000 employees worldwide, wienerberger solutions enable energy-efficient, healthy, climate-friendly and affordable living. wienerberger is the world’s largest manufacturer of bricks and the market leader in clay roof tiles in Europe and concrete paving stones in Eastern Europe. In pipe systems (ceramic and plastic pipes), the company is one of the leading suppliers in Europe and a leading supplier of facade products in North America. At the beginning of 2024, wienerberger successfully completed the acquisition of Terreal, thus becoming the leading European supplier of innovative total solutions for roofs and solar energy, as well as solutions for the entire building envelope in Europe and North America. With its more than 200 production sites, wienerberger generated sales of approximately €4.2 billion and an operating EBITDA of €811 million in 2023.

For further information please contact:
Claudia Hajdinyak, Head of Corporate Communications Wienerberger AG
t +43 664 828 31 83 | [email protected]

Therese Jandér, Senior Vice President Investor Relations Wienerberger AG
t +43 1 601 92 – 10221 | [email protected]