German brick and tile industry:
2012 not as good as expected
Unfortunately for German heavy clay producers, the 2012 business year failed to maintain the impetus of 2011. While roughly as many building bricks were produced as in the previous year, there was a minor decline in roof tile output.
“For the construction sector, 2012 was not a bad year, but neither was it as good as expected. There are many reasons for this, but one of the main problems was the relatively bad weather. The long-drawn-out debate over tax incentives for the energy-efficient renovation of buildings also had a negative impact. Due to the resultant uncertainty, numerous renovation projects were put on ice”, says Martin Roth, managing director of Germany’s Bonn-based brick and tile association Bundesverband der Deutschen Ziegelindustrie e.V.
Roof tiles
The German Federal Statistical Office reports a 7.7% downturn...
