Embarking on a Brick, Block, or Paver Making Venture: A Step-by-Step Guide
Thu, 31 August 2023
So you want to start a Brick, Block or Paver making business
Before we can get to the "how" of starting a brick-making business, let's look at the "why"?Despite difficult economic conditions in our country, the South African construction sector is still growing. The population is on the rise and as the country develops, it focuses on urbanization and the expansion of infrastructure. There are large buildings, complexes, and low-cost housing being built in many of SA's large cities, and bricks are considered the primary building material in these residential and commercial projects.
Why are bricks so useful?
Bricks proven reliability passes the test of time in any climate. It's insulating capabilities and passive solar heat retention make brick equally suitable for hot summers and cold winters.What are the benefits of starting a brick-making business?
The demand for bricks makes this type of business profitable. Another benefit of making bricks is that this material can be produced on a small scale, which makes it a suitable option for people who want to launch a small business. With unemployment rates that have risen, partly a result of the economic decline during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting worldwide lockdown, it is more important than ever to be an entrepreneur and contribute to job creation.With the cost of building at an all-time high manufacturing quality bricks at an affordable price can be a very successful venture.
Moreover, all the above businesses can be expanded by supplying other materials like sand, stone, and cement.
The major advantages of opening a brick factory are listed below:
- Low capital investments
- Escalating demand for bricks
- Cost-effective in terms of business structure
- Exemplary small business idea
- The process for making bricks is simple and easy to understand
- Competition at the local and regional levels only
- Low labour requirements
- Reduced wastage of raw materials
- Presence of a handful of organised players in the market
- Recycling the materials and by-products is feasible
Starting a business is not as simple as Purchasing a machine and growing overnight. There are first a few questions that need to be considered.
What type of Concrete brick-making business do I want to start?
At Revaro Concrete Equipment we have a wide variety of not only Brick, block & paver-making machines but also the various moulds, pallets, and materials handling equipment needed for a fully functional plant.We recommend starting with larger quantities of fewer products. If a client wants to order 10sqm of a specific size, you want to be able to produce and deliver in the shortest time possible. The popularity of products varies, depending on the area you are based in. Our best-selling products, and a great option to start with, would be the RS5-2.5 with stock mould, 6-inch hollow block mould, or 80mm Interlocking pavers. The ideal production slab is 7x11m with 3phrase power & and water on site and if possible a canopy to cover the machine.
Once you get to know the products and with the guidance of our sales consulted you will be enabled to make a well-informed decision.
Revaro's Brick-Making Machines Available
Egg Layers:- Manual
- Electric
- Hydraulic
- Fully Automatic Large Capacity
- Manual
- Manual / Electrical
- Static Hydraulic
- Static Hydraulic Fully Automatic
- Static Hydraulic Fully Automatic with curing Chambers, Cubing, Packing, and wrapping.
Concrete Kerb Machines
- Forest Single Mould Press
- Revaro Two Mould Slab and Kerb Press
- Forest Three Mould Press
- Revaro RLWP-1 - Linear Wet Press
Lintel Making Machines
- 60 x 148 Lintel Machine
- 70 x 105 Lintel Machine
- 70 x 140 Lintel Machine
- 110 x 140 Lintel Machine
To view our full range, click here.https://revaro.co.za/products/concrete_equipment/lintel Hollow Core Slab Machines
- RHC100-600
- RHC 120-600
- RHC 150-600
- RHC 180-600
Concrete Roof Tile Machines
- RRTP
- RRTE-5
- RRTE-10
- RRTE-20
- RRTE-30
Moulds
- 4", 6" or 9" Hollow Blocks
- Interlocking Pavers
- Bevel Pavers
- Inland Maxi
- Coastal Maxi
Who are the major players in the market and what are they producing?
The brick industry faces competition at the regional and local level only. So, you should analyze your competitors and the prices they offer. Before you start your brick-making business, you'll need to check what demand there is for which type of building material in your area. Remember to review your competition to get an idea of who your business will be up against.- Evaluate the competition
- Describe this brick-making business sector, as well as your customers.
- Target Market
- Small construction companies building private housing.
- Ordinary DIY customers who will use it for their own needs(Building renovation etc.)
- Farmers and small holdings building structures on their farms.
- Construction companies generally use bricks and blocks in their daily activities. - NGOs involved in building RDP housing and other structures for underprivileged communities in the developing world need bricks to build homes, schools, and a variety of structures. To compete in the industry, you should focus on Network building. Try to make new connections in the field of construction. They will help you expand your business and ensure regular orders. Try and connect with the contractors, builders, architects, etc., of your locality and area and maintain good relations with them.
Brick and block-producing plants can benefit from Revaro's expert advice and consultation when purchasing new block machines from us. Plant layout and efficiency analysis might indicate how small changes can make a big difference.
Advantages and benefits of having your own block machines.
- Customize the machine you buy to suit your operation perfectly
- Choose between different moulds to fit the project specifications
- Quality of bricks and blocks you produce instead of depending on another company's workmanship
- Flexible production schedules can ensure optimization of resources and manpower.
Where will my business be located?
Putting careful thought into the location of your brick-making business pays off. You'll need to consider the size of the property as well as its ground slope. Enough room is required to store sand and cement as well as the completed bricks.Staff amenities and an office are also required. Safety and ease of access are other factors that should be considered. Your site should be in the vicinity of your customers and your suppliers.
Those considerations include the climatic conditions and the temperature of the geographic location. Proper warehouse facilities should be available along with the factory space to store the bricks. The transport facilities should be within reach and approachable. There is a need for local laborers as the place should be accessible easily. Other basic amenities must be constructed at the decided location. After considering all these aspects, a location must be selected out of all possible locations for your factory.
You have to choose a site that is close to your customers, and that is also close to your suppliers. The location has to have a levelled surface and also the site has to be big enough to make and cure the amount of cement bricks/blocks you want to produce.
What skill-set and knowledge do I require to run
1. The actual machine (how are bricks made)
The first thing you need to know before you start your own brick-making business is that you have to know the process of making Bricks. Once we are well acquainted with the process of how the bricks are made, drafting a blueprint of requirements for opening a brick factory becomes trouble-free.The simple process of how bricks are made is described as under:
- Gathering, crushing, grinding, screening
The various materials required for making bricks are gathered first. It includes a collection of soil, sand, cement, and water. - Preparation and tempering of mixture
Once we have all the required materials, then they should be added in a specified proportion. - Mixing the raw materials
All materials are mixed well. - Moulding
The mixture then needs to be moulded. Revaro offers a wide range of brick, block, and paver moulds for all machines. - Curing
After the mixture is place in moulds, it is dried for a couple of days. The drying usually takes 3-10 days. Drying can be done naturally or artificially.
2. The Business
- Develop your business skills.
While knowing how to make bricks is important, you'll also need to have business skills. You can consider enrolling for a business course where you'll learn more about finances, sales, and marketing. This training will enable you to compile a business plan that will give your enterprise a good foundation. This plan includes the goals and objectives that will guide your business. - Prepare a Business Plan
It is very important to have a comprehensive business plan which should include your strategic focus, a marketing plan, an operations plan, a staffing plan, and a financial plan. A business plan helps clarify objectives and spell out what you want to achieve in your business.
What are the basic elements that I need to have in place before I can set up my brick-making machine?
- Revaro can help with the planning and layout of your plant
- Electricity
- Foundation
- Enough space
- Basic Amenities
Here is where Revaro really comes in and provides exceptional services. Before your machine/plant is set up we send out a technician to do a site inspection. What this means for you as the client, is you have our expertise, knowledge, and experience at your disposal. We will give you all the guidance to ensure that your machine/plant functions at its optimal performance.
Equipment
There are numerous types of Brick Machines available from Revaro and these brick-making machines are easy to use at affordable prices.
What can you expect to receive:
- Pre-installation site visit (additional cost)
- Technical drawing on optimal plant foundations and layout
- Recommended power points
- Pre-installation checklist
- Electrical Requirements list (COC sign-off is recommended by a third-party electrician as this is not provided)
What are the ingredients that go into my Brick Making Formula and how or where do I get the raw materials?
- Sand
- Stone
- Water
- Cement
- Fly ash
Availability of raw material
Once you decide your factory's location, the raw material arrangements should be done. They should be supplied from your nearest location to save the transportation costs and ensure timely delivery of raw materials. The various raw materials used in the manufacturing of bricks are cement, stones, sand, stone, dust, water, silica, lime, soil, etc. These materials should be easily available and affordable. Keep adequate stock of raw materials in hand.
PPC SUREBUILD Cement 42,5 N is ideal for small-scale cement brick/block manufacture. PPC SUREBUILD 42,5 N compiles with SANS 50197-1. PPC SUREBUILD Cement 42,5 N with extra strength makes more concrete than regular general-purpose cement.
- 42,5R - Rapid curing
- Clean river sand
- Clean water - if you can drink it, it is suitable for brick/block making.
The most important factor is sourcing quality local aggregates, to keep your costs low. The best option would be, to go to your nearest builders supply store and ask for assistance, alternatively try and find a local crusher plant in the area, or even get your own crusher from Revaro.
You would need the following:
- Washed river sand
- Anything from 6mm to 13mm stone is acceptable
- Bags of Cement
Mixing Ratios:
- 2 Parts washed river sand
- 2 Parts Stone
- 1 Part Cemenr
- Water
If you are only able to get hold of the crusher run, mix 4 parts crusher run to 1 part cement.
After preparing your moulds, mix all of the aggregates together and add water until you get the texture of thick porridge. Always remember that the quantity of water will vary and may take some trial and error depending on the temperature and humidity. Hotter days will require more water to compensate for fast evaporation. Extremely cold days require less water to speed up the curing time and prevent freezing.
Leave to cure for at least 24 hours. We recommend packing the freshly cast bricks on pallets and wrapping them with pallet wrap, this will keep the moisture from evaporating too fast and give you a stronger product.
How big or small would I like to begin?
- Manual egg layers
- Fully automated plants
Where you start depends on how much capital you have. If you have the capital you can buy a machine with a built-in raw material feeder, pan/cement/concrete mixer, and conveyor belt. There is also a somewhat in-between way: buy the block-making machine and concrete mixer separately, that should be your minimum goal. Starting manually is really hard, but if there is no other way then you have to do just that.
What other equipment would I need?
Manufacturing equipment
After you make sure that raw materials will be made available when needed, you need to decide what equipment would be required to produce bricks. The method or equipment you undertake for production purposes helps us decide the raw materials needed and where they need to be transported at Your location.
So, the first step is to list down the necessary equipment. Check up on the various models available for particular machinery and the variety of the same. Categorize your machinery according to the functions they are going to perform. The machinery to be used is economical and durable.
Investing in the right equipment is essential for the success of your brick-making business. Affordability and durability are two of the main attributes you'll need to look for.
The Equipment you need to get started and that you will find readily available from Revaro includes the following:
The Equipment you need to get started and that you will find readily available from Revaro includes the following:
- Pan Mixer
- Brick making Machine
- Trolleys
- Brick Pallets
- Forklift
- Loader
- Brick Production Line Equipment
- Twin Shaft Mixer
- Box Feeder
- Roller Crusher
- Conveyor
- Drum Screen
- Crusher
- Two-Stage Crusher
- Roller Crusher
- Jaw Crusher
- Hammer Crusher
- Generator
Other equipment found at your local hardware store:
- Wheelbarrow
- Spades
- Durable water buckets
- Sieves
- Plastic sheets
- Electrical Shovel
What are all my overhead costs?
Before you start your business, you need to determine whether you have enough capital to cover the set-up expenses. You need to consider how much it costs to capital to cover the set-up expenses. You need to consider how much it costs to buy or rent the site where you will be making the bricks. Once you have found the right space, you'll have to pay for any adjustments the property needs.
After deciding whether to adopt semi-automatic or fully automatic machinery, the costings need to be analyzed. Compare the prices of different machinery, raw materials, etc. The output that you are expecting to produce needs to be examined. Consider the other costs associated with starting a factory, such as labor costs, material costs, electricity bills, water and other bills, etc. The cost-effectiveness of your model should be scrutinized.
- Brick and motor cost
- Labour (Salaries / Wages)
- Electricity & water (Generator during loadshedding)
- Wastage & Maintenance
- Loan / Funding repayment with interest
- Transport
- Equipment
- Fuel (Generator, TLB, Loader, Forklifts)
If you are looking for a trusted manufacturer of block machines and other concrete brick and paving machinery, please do not hesitate to contact Revaro Concrete Equipment (Pty) Ltd on 011 794 8271 or visit our website. www.revaro.co.za
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