Wienerberger starts brick production in the world‘s largest electric industrial kiln in the Austrian plant in Uttendorf
According to a press release from 29 November 2024, Wienerberger, international provider of innovative, ecological solutions for the entire building envelope, in the fields of new build and renovation, as well as infrastructure in water and energy management, opened its modernized brick plant in Uttendorf, Austria, on November 28th. With the world‘s largest industrial electric kiln, the plant sets new standards for sustainable brick production, claims the company. Running on green electricity – for example from the plant‘s own PV system – reduces emissions for brick production by around 90 percent and overall energy consumption by a third.
This success is part of the “GreenBricks” project, in which Wienerberger is developing innovative solutions for ecological, resource-saving construction and testing them in Uttendorf. In addition to the electric kiln, the company is currently also testing new types of clay mixtures here: Instead of coal or paper fibers, more climate-friendly sawdust is used, a by-product of local wood processing. Thanks to these and other innovations, the press release claims, Wienerberger now operates Europe‘s most sustainable brick production facility in Uttendorf, setting new standards for the entire construction material industry. Other Wienerberger sites will also benefit from the expertise gained and the technologies developed in the future.
Heimo Scheuch, CEO of Wienerberger, says: “We have a responsibility to ensure a future worth living for coming generations. The construction sector plays a key role in this, as buildings account for a third of energy consumption and almost 40 percent of CO2 emissions worldwide. I am therefore delighted that we have reached a decisive milestone on the road to climate neutrality with the reopening of our modernized brick plant in Uttendorf. Of course, this success only motivates to go even further.”
Ambitious sustainability goals
The plant in Uttendorf has been operated by Wienerberger since 1987 and is, among other things, a showcase site for the company‘s innovations. For example, the plant served as a testing site for the new high-temperature heat pump used in drying processes in 2019. Wienerberger invested a total of around 30 million euro in the development of the electric kiln, and test operations are now running with a production capacity of 270 tons of bricks per day.
The plant is an essential part of Wienerberger‘s sustainability strategy with which the company is pursuing further ambitious goals like decarbonization, circular economy, biodiversity and other areas, states the press release. The goals of the program are updated every three years, most recently in 2023. By 2026, the company aims to reduce its emissions in production by 25 percent and to increase the proportion of recyclable or reusable products sold to over 90 percent. In addition, 75 percent of total sales shall be generated from building products for the construction of net-zero buildings with a neutral carbon footprint by then.
