Wienerberger sets up plant in Karnataka

Bangalore: Wienerberger Brick Industry Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Vienna-based Wienerberger, has set up a manufacturing plant in Kunigal, near Bangalore. The plant, expected to be operational by end of 2008, will have an output of 1 lakh tonnes a annum in the first phase with a doubling of capacity soon.

The Karnataka plant, the company’s first in Asia, has an initial investment of around Rs 90 crore. “But we are continuously looking for growth opportunities in other parts of the country,” Mr Ingo Hofmaier, Managing Director, Commercial, Wienerberger Brick Industry Pvt Ltd, said.

The Austrian brick manufacturer is planning to launch four brands in the country — Porotherm (hollow bricks), Terca and ArGeTon (facade bricks) and Koramic (roof surface). Clay for the products would be sourced locally and the company is already working closely with architects in the country to familiarise them with the products, Mr Rudy van Reeth, Managing Director, Technical, Wienerberger Brick Industry Pvt Ltd, said.

Wienerberger Group is the world’ largest producer of clay building bricks and the second leading player in the clay roof market in Europe. The Group has 263 plants in 26 countries and achieved revenues of €2.48 billion (Rs 15,000 crore) in 2007.