Clay Brick & Product Manufacturing in the US: Market Research Report

While demand and revenue went down during the recession due to slowed building markets, the industry is expected to turn around in the next five years, with increases in housing starts and the value of nonresidential building construction. Revenue and profit performance will also be supported by steady improvements in demand for refractory products used in downstream manufacturing and energy production industries. Also, increases in demand and sustained efficiency improvements are expected to bolster average industry profit margins... purchase to read more

The industry has a medium level of capital intensity, with depreciation-to-labor-costs ratio slightly below the average for the US economy; however, there is substantial variation in capital intensity across each industry segment. The clay brick and floor and wall tiles segments maintain a relatively high capital intensity of production, while the clay and nonclay refractories segments have a lower capital intensity, relying more on the input of skilled workers. Recessionary layoffs and firm contraction, meanwhile, have led to wages decreasing as a share of industry revenue over the past five years, while capital expenditures have remained relatively constant as a share of revenue... purchase to read more