According to HISPALYT (the Spanish association of brick and roof tile manufacturers), by the end of 2006 Spanish brick makers will achieve  an annual production of around 30 million tonnes of structural ceramic material, a figure higher than that of Italy, Germany or the United Kingdom.

Such output represents an increase of 7.5% over the previous year, which cannot be explained by just the strength of construction activity, but also by a solid tradition in the use of ceramic materials in construction. In the consolidation of this tradition, and in the success in competing with alternative construction materials, things are not left to fate: the active and coordinated behaviour of the ceramic industry is largely responsible, as exemplified once more by this year’s campaign to promote the use of ceramic materials using television and radio commercials.

BERALMAR TECNOLOGIC, through its own initiative, has contributed significantly and for a second time to the funding of this campaign, which under the motto “paredes de ladrillo, las de toda la vida” (roughly “good old-fashioned brick walls, ”) has based a message urging the end users to picture a world without bricks, while stressing the safety, comfort, resistance, fire protection and acoustic isolation provided by constructions with ceramic materials.

Up until the year 2000, BERALMAR had focused its commercial activities in Spain, the neighbouring markets (Portugal, France, Morocco, Algeria) and the Americas. That year, with the forecast of the promising growth of Central European economies and their construction activities, it was decided to broaden the geographical scope and to set foot in these markets. Hence, a slow process of mutual acquaintance between the region’s brick makers and BERALMAR started. The difficulties in those markets where other suppliers enjoy a longer presence were no surprise, but the conclusions today are positive, and the expectations, high.

Currently, BERALMAR employs its own staff in a large number of Central European markets, and with a growing reference list in the region, both in the supply of equipment and in engineering projects.

In this context, BERALMAR insists in its long term strategy, after overcoming the hardest phase of its introduction to the region, and now faces the challenge of becoming a major supplier in Central Europe. Constant technological innovation and competitive quality, price and service will be keys to the meeting of this challenge.

Due to a growing staff, BERALMAR has completed the construction of new facilities for the technical office at its headquarters in Terrassa (Barcelona), a much-needed response to the increasing demand for work space.

The new technical office incorporates the Projects Department directed by Artur Massaguer, the R+D Department managed by Santi Amposta and the Manufacturing Design headed by José Cabello.

The new facilities also include a new meeting room and a new archive.