2019
November 2019
Brickworks acquires assets of US brick manufacturer Redland Brick.
September 2019
Brickworks purchases Sioux City Brick, USA.
May 2019
Brickworks acquires Aussie Concrete Products (ACP).
March 2019
Grand opening of new Brickworks Design Studio, Collins Street, Melbourne.
2018
November 2018
BKW purchases fourth largest US brick manufacturer, Glen-Gery.
June 2018
BKW completes sale of land at Oakdale South Estate.
April 2018
BKW completes all asset development in Oakdale Central Estate, NSW
March 2018
BKW launches exclusive Venetial Glass collection of ultra-premium glass bricks.
March 2018
Grand opening of new Brickworks Design Studio, Barrack Street, Sydney.
2017
December 2017
BKW establishes Southern Cross Cement.
November 2017
BKW acquires Urbanstone in WA.
October 2017
BKW completes the Super Amart building in Brisbane, QLD. It is the largest single facility in BKW’s Investment Portfolio.
August 2017
BKW launches Bristile Solar, offering premium solar-roof tiles and a full energy management system.
August 2017
BKW launches San Selmo and Corsco range of reclaimed smoked bricks.
2016
June 2016
BKW facilities in Rochedale, QLD and Cardup, WA undergo major upgrades.
February 2016
Auswest Timbers acquires timber mill in Greenbushes, WA.
2015
December 2015
BKW acquires Masonry plant from Capricornia Rockblock in Rockhampton, Queensland.
BKW acquires previously leased operational sites at Yatala and Cairns, both in Queensland.
August 2015
BKW completes sale of Coles CDC facility for $253.0million.
BKW acquires CJM Roof and Building Services Pty Ltd.
2014
March 2014
BKW launches Australia’s first “Carbon Neutral Brick” and achieves Carbon Neutral certification for all products made at its Longford Tasmania plant.
2013
July 2013
BKW achieves a normalised net profit after tax of $100 million.
April 2013
BKW and CSR enter into a JV to establish New Zealand Brick Distributors.
February 2013
BKW acquires Masonry plant from Boral Ltd. in Prospect, NSW
2012
March 2012
BKW completes the acquisition of the remaining 50% share of Daniel Robertson Australia Pty Ltd (following the formation of a 50/50 Joint Venture in 2006)
BKW acquires CPS Precast operations in Salisbury, Queensland
BKW acquires Masonry plant from Boral Ltd. in Cairns, Queensland
Austral acquires a masonry production plant from Boral Ltd.
2011
December 2011
BKW acquires a timber mill and processing centre from Gunns Ltd in the South West of Western Australia
May 2011
BKW creates Austral Precast on 5th May – making Brickworks Building Products division Australia’s largest producer of precast concrete panels.
February 2011
BKW acquires East Coast Masonry operations in Coffs Harbour, NSW
2010
August 2010
BKW acquires Gocrete Pty Ltd from Boral Ltd on 30th August.
BKW acquires Girotto Precast Pty Ltd from Boral Ltd.
March 2010
BKW acquires Sasso Precast Concrete.
February 2010
BKW acquires Masonry plant from Brick and Block in Port Kembla, NSW
2000
July 2008
Brickworks Ltd acquires Smart State Blocks on the 17th July.
January 2007
BKW acquires Ayr Masonry.
BKW acquires Whitsunday Concrete and Block.
November 2006
BKW acquires Caloundra Blocks.
August 2006
BKW acquires GB Masonry.
January 2005
BKW acquires Western Australian timber producer, Auswest Timbers.
2003
BKW acquires 100% of Bristile Limited.
May 2002
BKW acquires Eureka Tiles Pty Ltd, a Victoria-based floor tile manufacturer. Eureka Tiles Pty Ltd and The Austral Tile Company combine to form Eureka Tiles Australia.
BKW enters agreement with Collex to manage waste disposal at the Horsley Park site.
Austral commissions a new $2 million floor tile factory at the Punchbowl site.
Terraçade, Austral’s Terracotta Facade system is launched.
February 2001
BKW acquires Bowral Bricks.
2001
BKW purchases a 19.6% stake in Western Australia-based, Bristile Limited, a manufacturer of brick, pavers and roof tiles.
Austral launches its online ordering system – E Brick.
1990s
1999
BKW acquires the Pioneer brick factory at Riverview, Queensland.
Austral launches Slick Brick.
1998
Austral Pipes Australia is renamed The Austral Tile Company.
BKW’s Punchbowl site is converted into a terracotta floor tile operation.
Brookvale Brickworks is closed, having been in operation since 1907.
1992
Punchbowl Pipes Pty Ltd is renamed Austral Pipes Australia Pty Ltd.
1991
No. 1 Plant 1 is re-commissioned and the first Austral Governor Sandstock produced.
1980s
1988
Upgrade of No. 1 Plant to a fully automated facility.
1985
Rochedale factory in Queensland is completely refurbished.
1985
BKW now owns a 42.8% stake in Washington H. Soul Pattinson.
Production ceases at the Bedford yard on the corner of Mitchell Road and Princes Highway.
May 1983
Austral Bricks burns its last bricks at the company’s main yard on the corner of Canal Road and Princes Highway on May 31st.
1982
No. 3 Plant at Horsley Park closes for upgrade and reopens in 1984 with a fully automated line.
August 1981
Death of W.K. Dawes on 10th August.
1970s
1972
No. 3 Plant opens at Wallgrove.
1960s
August 1969
BKW and Washington H. Soul Pattinson (WHSP) enter into a cross-holding arrangement.
April 1968
No. 2 Plant opens at Wallgrove with the addition of a second kiln in November 1969.
September 1962
No. 1 Plant opens at Wallgrove. By June 1965 three tunnel kilns are in operation.
June 1962
Brickworks Limited (BKW) listed on Australian Stock Exchange on 30th June.
January 1961
Brickworks acquires Punchbowl Brick and Pipe Company Pty Ltd, comprising Heathcote Brickworks, Kirrawee Brickworks and Punchbowl Brick & Pipe Works at Punchbowl.
Early 1960
Construction of tunnel kilns for extruded texture bricks commences at Wallgrove, Horsley Park.
1950s
1959-1960
Brickworks acquires substantial landholdings to ensure reserves of shale. This includes land at Rochedale, at Duffy’s Forest, and in Sydney’s west at Horsley Park. Modern brick plants are planned as the St Peters brickyards run out of shale reserves and face government controls over pollution from the kilns.
October 1959
Forced sale of the Austral and Bedford brickyards to the City of Sydney Council for use as landfill. Extraction of shale and the production of bricks continued at these sites. Derelict quarries were prepared to receive garbage. Waste disposal in the quarries adjacent to the Austral site along Canal Road still continues.
September 1950
Brickworks gains total control of Austral Bricks, making it the biggest and most powerful single brickmaking company in Australia.
March 1959
Brickworks buys Rochedale Brickworks, Brisbane for the bargain price of £29,500, establishing a foothold in the Queensland market. Over the next decade the plant was progressively modernised with the construction of Swindell-Dressler tunnel kilns.
1940s
March 1946
On the 19th March the NSW government resumes the Homebush site under the State Brickworks Act 1946 and pays compensation to Brickworks.
August 1945
Wartime regulations are eased and permits are no longer required to build single unit dwelling houses.
April 1945
Brickworks acquires most of the shares in Austral Bricks.
June 1943
Austral shareholders vote to sell shares to Brickworks and amalgamate. This is conditional on the appointment of Dawes for 10 years, the first five years as managing director, the second five years as general manager.
March 1942
The Department of the Navy requisitions the State Brickworks facilities and converts the kilns into ammunition stores. Brickworks makes a claim for compensation and is paid out, although it still owns the site and plant.
December 1940
Government approval is needed to construct a building costing more than £5,000. By June 1942 the threshold is £25 including repairs. Sydney building completions fall from 8,138 in 1940 to 582 in 1943. Dawes keeps the yards running, stockpiling bricks to sell at premium prices after the war.
1930s
September 1939
Strict wartime controls are introduced, which include setting the price of bricks and placing lending restrictions on building cooperative societies. Price controls are only removed in 1955.
August 1939
Brickworks votes to revert to its original status as a public company on the 29th August.
July 1938
Brickworks buys the Suburban Land and Investment Company (SLIC), an investment company which owns several brickworks. It gains an extra four fully equipped yards, the Burwood, South Ashfield and Great Northern National. Brickworks Pty Ltd now owns 11 brickyards.
September 1937-1938
Brickworks purchases City Brick Co. Pty Ltd at Euston Road, Alexandria, on what is now Sydney Park. It continues to acquire more unprofitable companies or those running out of workable clays.
May 1937
Brickworks votes to become a private company on the 4th May. It raises capital and buys the assets of the Excelsior and Flemington Brick companies.
October 1936
Brickworks purchases State Brickworks at Homebush from the New South Wales Government, further consolidating industry capacity.
Roofing tile manufacturers rationalise production through the newly-formed Roof Tiles Limited. The 14 members restrict output which prevents the further decline of prices.
September 1936
Austral Bricks amends its Articles of Association, and becomes a private concern, ceasing to trade as a public company.
June 1936
Clay Industries Limited, a subsidiary of Brickworks Limited, buys the Manly Brick & Tile Company at Brookvale. This yard contains millions of bricks but has not produced a single brick since the start of the Depression
May 1936
Council members sign the ‘St Peters Agreement’. This divides Sydney into zones serviced by local brickyards.
May 1935
Brickworks Limited continues to buy shares from its investors (brickyard owners). Some sell up completely and close their yards. By September 1939 Brickworks dominates the Sydney market.
October 1934
Acting on behalf of the Council, W.K. Dawes and other prominent brickmakers, form the ‘Brick Committee’. A member levy of 6d per 1,000 bricks is set to cover the cost of selling, distributing and promoting bricks and clay products. They approve an increase in the price of bricks.
October 1934
Weakened by internal disunity, the New South Wales Brick Masters’ Association is no longer able to speak for the industry.
The Board of Brickworks Limited votes to establish a new representative body, the Council of Brick Manufacturers. Members of the Association are entitled to nominate as a member of the Council.
William King Dawes, general manager of Austral Bricks and managing director of Brickworks, is appointed chairman. Through the Council, Dawes forges a 10-year agreement between various companies, individual brickyard owners and Brickworks Limited.
June 1934
At the height of the Great Depression brick manufacturers in the New South Wales Brick Masters’ Association take drastic action to save the industry.
They register Brickworks Limited as a public company, close unprofitable yards and rationalise production. The new company is better able to market and distribute bricks and clay products, especially pipes and tiles.
