Firm ramps up Nigeria brick production by 20m yearly

Chairman, Sparklight Group, Toyin Adeyinka (left); Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Moriadewun Bosede during the commissioning of new Kiln and Artificial Dryer for Amide Clay Industry

A Nigerian company, Amide Clay Industry Limited, which invested in technology upgrades, said that the new brick factory would increase its brick production capacity by 20 million bricks before the end of this year, creating about 500 new jobs in the process.

Speaking during the commissioning of a 20 million capacity kiln and clay dryer of Amide Industries Nigeria Limited in Olapeleke, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Bimbola Ashiru, urged investors to take advantage of industrial minerals such as clays, limestone and glass-sand available locally to promote wealth and job creation among citizens.

He assured investors that the state government has continued to attract businesses in leaps and bounds by supporting and providing enabling environment for the private sector. “About 100 new factories had opened shop in the last 61 months of this administration and it is increasing day by day which made Ogun state to have the largest concentration of industries in Nigeria.”

Ashiru reminded industrialists in the state to be mindful of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to their host communities “as they will be supporting government to improve the standard of living of our people.”

Chairman, Sparklight Group, Chief Toyin Adeyinka, urged government to ban importation of facing brick into the country to grow the economy, while imploring builders and architects to think and look inwardly for locally sourced building materials to enhance home ownership among Nigerians.

He explained that the new company in Olapeleke would create more jobs in the locality, saying that about 300 people have already been employed.

Adeyinka, an engineer, said the establishment of the company was an effort of over 25 years which started like a passion, adding that he has employed semi mechanized process to assume the set target.

“It is an effort of Nigerian engineers and technicians that we are seeing today. The kiln and the dryer will be maintained and managed by Nigerians,” he said.

Adeyinka described clay brick as the oldest building material known to man that has refused to lose its glory, urging Nigerian government and developers to engage this God-given local material to solve housing shortages in the country.

On advantages of bricks of other conventional building materials, the Sparklight boss said: “Brick is lighter than conventional sandcrete block; it has higher load bearing capacity; has better thermal insulation; has very high acoustic value and high heat resistant, which makes it not vulnerable to fire. Brick can be used for decking of houses to safe concrete reinforcement.

The cost of plastering and painting of external wall of a house is totally eliminated by using brick. Home builders can save 20 per cent cost by using brick.”

He informed the audience that his company has also set up training school for the teaching of artisans to improve their capacity.

Developers, entrepreneurs and building materials manufacturers have been tasked to give serious attention to the exploration and exploitation of vast untapped solid minerals in the country to bridge 17 million housing deficit.

Besides, homebuilders and government have also been implored to patronise local building materials’ manufacturers to grow the economy, which is currently in recession.

SourceToday NG