wienerberger UK & Ireland, a provider of innovative solutions for the entire building envelope, has opened Smeed Dean, its first concrete tile factory in the South of England. The 7,800 m² state-of-the-art production facility in Sittingbourne, Kent, will produce up to 94 million roof tiles annually, enough for 32,000 semi-detached homes.
This significant milestone demonstrates wienerberger’s ongoing commitment to low-carbon construction, regional investment, and advanced concrete tile production. Manufacturing Danum TLE large format concrete tiles and plain concrete tiles on two production lines, the factory complements existing sites in the North and reduces average transport distance in the south by 200+ miles.
Keith Barker, wienerberger’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Launching Smeed Dean is about more than expanding our national manufacturing footprint – it’s about building for what’s next. Increasing production capacity in the south and investing in decarbonised operations have been key priorities, so it’s extremely rewarding to see these cutting-edge production lines up and running to deliver products to support the UK’s evolving housing needs.”
The site is wienerberger’s first fully-electrified concrete tile facility, with renewable energy and sustainability embedded throughout its operations—including smart lighting, heat recovery systems, a 10,000 litre rainwater harvesting system, and working with The Pallet LOOP to minimise pallet wood waste.
The Smeed Dean brickworks site’s highly skilled team completed extensive training to support advanced and sustainable concrete tile production.
Through wienerberger’s commitment to social responsibility, a portion of proceeds from sales of the Danum TLE tile supports the Emmaus charity in combatting homelessness and social exclusion.
