Published: 31 August 2025

New brick-making firms in Zimbabwe are rapidly gaining market share, leveraging modern technology and lower prices to outcompete traditional manufacturers struggling with outdated equipment and financial constraints.

Companies such as Beta Bricks, McDonald Bricks, and Willdale are facing declining production and sales as newcomers sell common bricks at an average of US$90 per 1 000 — about 30 percent cheaper than the US$130 charged by established firms.

Despite being slightly smaller, the bricks produced by the new entrants meet or exceed the minimum strength standards set by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ), which requires an average strength of 7MPa and a minimum individual strength of 5MPa.

Willdale reported a 52 percent drop in extrusion, a 41 percent decline in fired production, and a 34 percent fall in sales for the three months ended June 2025. Beta Bricks has entered voluntary liquidation, citing debts exceeding US$25 million, including funds owed to customers who had pre-paid for bricks.

Beta Bricks had planned a US$10 million investment in a modern factory in Goromonzi, projected to produce 180 million bricks annually using advanced US technology, but the project was not completed before the company entered corporate rescue.

Industry experts say the decline of traditional firms reflects underinvestment, outdated production methods, and inefficiency, which left them unable to meet rising demand from the construction sector.

"Competitiveness presupposes efficiency," said Mr Kipson Gundani, CEO of Africa Roundtable. "No local brick manufacturer at the moment can compete with modern technologies. They can produce while you are waiting for your bricks."

Observers also note that many new companies operate with cash transactions that may not be fully captured for tax purposes, giving them a lower cost base compared to largely compliant traditional firms.

While some raise concerns over regulatory compliance, the new entrants have helped meet growing demand in both the public and private construction sectors, reshaping Zimbabwe's brick-making industry.
- Sunday Mail