Why Belden Brick Has Lasted 140 Years

Words: Kristie Fitzgerald
Photos: The Belden Brick Company

‘Why We’ve Lasted 140 Years’
How The Belden Brick Company’s approach to manufacturing excellence continues to solve modern brick masonry challenges

Ask masonry contractor Jason Hauer what separates good brick from great brick, and he’ll tell you about head joints that stay consistent, colors that match from pallet to pallet, and a manufacturer who answers the phone when problems arise.

Hauer has laid brick for 35 years and says he’s worked with every major brick manufacturer. When clients ask for the best construction materials, he calls The Belden Brick Company.

"Among many reasons to work with Belden Brick, a top one is knowing their products are consistently true to size," says Hauer, president of Cincinnati-based Jess Hauer Masonry Inc. "This keeps head joints the correct width and ultimately creates stronger, more uniform masonry walls. Superior bricks lead to increased productivity for masonry workers, lower costs, and a finished building project that looks exceptional."

That's the kind of reliability that has made Belden Brick the standard of comparison in brick manufacturing since 1885. One hundred and forty years later, they still set the standard in durability, consistency, through-body color, and brick design innovation.

Family Legacy, Competitive Advantage
"I am proud and grateful to have worked with my father and cousins to carry on our great family tradition," says Robert T. Belden, CEO and fifth-generation family leader. "Innovation has always been essential to our success in the brick industry. We never want to become complacent or take our hard-earned reputation for quality and customer satisfaction for granted. It’s why we’ve lasted 140 years."

Being family-owned for so long isn't just history—it's a competitive advantage. While many manufacturers outsource components or compromise on raw materials, Belden Brick, the first architectural brick manufacturer in the US to receive ISO 9001 certification, maintains complete control over its supply chain. They own their clay mines, control their manufacturing processes, and maintain stringent quality management systems.

Combining robotic systems for standardized production runs with traditional hand-crafting capabilities for special shapes, the company ensures that whether masonry workers need 10,000 standard bricks or 100 custom pieces, quality remains consistent, guaranteeing the standard masonry contractors have come to depend on.

Paul Oldham, president of Ollier Masonry Inc. in Batesville, Ind., says the trust is real. He adds, "At the end of the day, the consistency of Belden Brick products—from sizes and styles to colors and textures—helps us sell a job and, at its conclusion, build something to be proud of."

Solving Problems Other Brick Makers Can't
When challenging brickwork masonry projects arise, contractors know where to turn. Hauer recalls a school addition where the original brick manufacturer was averse to making the necessary shapes.

"The design team was ready to change the look because they were told a match could not be done,” Hauer says. “Belden Brick went over and above to match all the shapes and colors, giving the design team exactly what they originally wanted. This made the entire project a success and put a feather in our cap."

Willingness to tackle what others won't attempt stems from Belden Brick's unique manufacturing flexibility. Robert Belden describes the recent reverse engineering of a unique brick tile used in the pulp and paper industry.

“A domestic manufacturer went out of business, and the only option was a European imported product,” says Belden. “We were able to recreate the tile through a collaboration between three facilities—extruding at Plant 6; saw-cutting at Plant 5; and then grinding, glazing, and re-firing at Plant 8. That extensive teamwork, processes, and equipment give Belden Brick more capabilities than many other manufacturers."

Innovation Meeting Real-World Needs
Modern masonry work demands both traditional quality and cutting-edge solutions. Just two of Belden Brick's recent innovations include Luminescent face brick with an iridescent finish that changes in different lighting conditions and a custom sawtooth brick design like those featured in Brooklyn's One Park Point project—a 13-story residential building constructed from more than 57,000 custom bricks.

"We're continually pushing the boundaries of what's possible with brick designs," says Tabitha Alleshouse, manager of architectural shapes at Belden Brick. "While we've previously explored projections in brickwork, the sawtooth design—especially executed in multiple colors—marked an exciting first for us."

Supporting Long-Term Partnerships
Belden Brick's reliability extends beyond individual projects. Architect Nestor Melnyk of MSA Design in Cincinnati has worked with one institutional client for almost 25 years and developed a portfolio of campus standard blends from Belden Brick because he knows those colors and textures will be available and consistent for projects well into the future.

Melnyk says, “This long-term consistency is crucial for masonry services that span decades. Institutions that have been around for generations and plan to be around for many more years want a product that not only performs well but will also remain available for future projects.”

Built For What's Next
Looking ahead, Robert Belden sees continued opportunity. He says, "Brick has proven its longevity as a building material since the dawn of civilization. We are not going away anytime soon. Brick consistently ranks first in surveys of the most desired cladding material."

After 140 years of proven performance, The Belden Brick Company remains what masonry contractors, suppliers, and distributors need most: a reliable, responsive partner who delivers on promises and never says no to a challenge. Still family-owned and still innovating, Belden Brick is still helping to build North America's future, one brick at a time.

The Belden Brick Company operates five full-service manufacturing plants in Ohio and continues to meet the changing needs of the construction market in North America by manufacturing more than 500 colors, 20 different sizes, and 13 textures available to masonry contractors, suppliers, and distributors.

Why Belden Brick Has Lasted 140 Years

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