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We’ve come a long way since then. Here’s a timeline showing how wienerberger has led the way as a building material solutions manufacturer since those early days in Vienna, to our present day growth and development in the UK.
Early History
wienerberger, founded in 1819 by Alois Miesbach, grew from a small brick kiln operation in Vienna to becoming Europe’s largest brick producer by the mid-19th century. Under Miesbach’s nephew, Heinrich Drasche, the company expanded through innovations like continuous kiln production and scaling operations to meet Vienna's urban growth. Listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange in 1869, wienerberger thrived until World War I disrupted the construction industry. After World War II, the company modernized production, introduced year-round manufacturing, and expanded into new markets like prefabricated housing and international acquisitions. By the late 20th century, wienerberger had become a key player in global building materials.
2001 – wienerberger enters UK market trading as Terca UK through the acquisition of Opitroc brick division in Northern Europe.
2004 – wienerberger acquires Thebrickbusiness, with nine UK plants. Thebrickbusiness was founded in 2002 through the merger of Ambion Brick and Chelwood Brick
2005 – wienerberger enters the UK roof tile market.
2007 – wienerberger acquires Baggeridge Brick, strengthening their prescence in the UK market with five production sites and extensive raw material reserves.
2008 – wienerberger invests in roof tile manufacturing with the acquistion of majority stake in Sandtoft UK. It is the largest independent roof tile producer in the UK with an established and growing brand in clay, concrete and slate roofing systems and four roof tile plants in Northern England.
2014 – wienerberger acquires the Keymer brand of premium handmade clay roof tiles. Keymer is one of the oldest operational roofing manufacturers in the world, with a heritage dating back to 1588.
2019 - wienerberger acquires Building Product Design to enhance the company's roof offering and deliver specialist building products.
2021 - wienerberger completes the acquisition of FloPlast and Cork Plastics providing complementary roofline, rainwater and drainage solutions in the renovation sector.
2024 – wienerberger acquires Maincor, providing expertise in plumbing solutions, underfloor heating and multilayer composite pipe.
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