The clay brick market in France

Terra cotta brick is a natural brick, the result of ancient design processes. Terra cotta brick is generally made from clay and sand. The color of the clay gives the brick its hue, which is often red or yellow.

Clay bricks are handmade bricks, fired in a kiln at 1200°C. This makes them a much more authentic building material than breeze-block.

Worldwide brick production amounts to 1,500 billion units a year. Asia is the world's leading brick producer, accounting for 87% of the total. China alone accounts for 67% of global supply. [HZZK] In France, clay bricks play a major role in construction. Indeed, since 2014, it has been the most widely used material in residential construction. In multi-family housing, for example, clay bricks quadrupled their market share (between 2005 and 2014). Since then, however, the dynamic has been less positive, with the terracotta sector as a whole suffering a 9% decline between 2010 and 2019.

Brick manufacturers shape their products from the raw material clay. Finished products are then sent to specialized building distributors such as Leroy Merlin or Gedimat. Craftsmen then buy from these distributors. The main manufacturers on the French clay brick market are American Edilians and French Terreal.

Building with clay bricks is perfectly in line with current trends. Indeed, this material meets individual and societal demands for greater simplicity, transparency and clean, environmentally-friendly materials. The advantages of clay bricks should give them an important role in the €7.5 billion stimulus plan for building and renovation announced for 2020.