Vandersanden closes Glückstadt brickworks in North Germany
According to a press release from 27 January 2023, the family-owned company Vandersanden, based in Bilzen, Belgium, has decided to close its brick plant in Glückstadt, Schleswig-Holstein. Vandersanden cited inefficiency and outdated sustainability standards as reasons. Helge Behrens, Managing Director of Vandersanden Deutschland GmbH: “It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to finally close the traditional brickworks in Glückstadt. From an economic point of view as well as out of consideration for our environment, it makes no sense to continue production in Glückstadt.”
The decision to close the Glückstadt plant has no impact on the other production sites or Vandersanden’s participation in the German and European markets. Production at the Glückstadt plant was less than one per cent of Vandersanden’s total capacity. The closure will not affect Vandersanden’s market position in Germany or overall production.
“The Glückstadt brick kiln was already temporarily shut down at the end of 2021 and will now not be restarted“, says Managing Director Behrens. At the end of January 2023, the decommissioning process of the plant and the site was initiated. The traditional plant is “not very profitable”. Moreover, some of the product lines are no longer compatible with the company’s values in terms of sustainability, “Together to Zero”.
Vandersanden cares for employees
The decision to close the plant was taken by management and the board on 16 January. Already on 25 January, the company informed its employees at the site. “We take our social responsibility very seriously and offer our employees our full support during the closure phase,” says Behrens.
About the Glückstädter Ziegelwerk
The Glückstädter Ziegelwerk produced exclusive, high-priced extruded and water-spread clinker bricks from local marsh clay. The company achieved national fame with its “Altenwerder” and “Fleet” clinker brick assortments. These two grades characterise the typical brick architecture of Hamburg, which is not far away.
