Brickworks Expands North American Footprint with New Design Studio in Baltimore

Architects, designers and homeowners can leverage expert advice, attend premier events, and experience a full selection of thoughtfully curated products and brands from around the globe. 

Brickworks North America Corporation, parent company of Glen-Gery Corporation, announced the grand opening of its Design Studio in Baltimore yesterday. The Baltimore Design Studio will provide architects, designers, trade professionals and consumers a modern and sophisticated space to collaborate on projects, explore premium products in a multitude of colors, shapes and sizes, and attend a wide range of thought-provoking and entertaining events. 

“With each Brickworks Design Studio, we are growing our global community of dedicated and esteemed design professionals who understand what it takes to stand out and what materials do it best,” said Mark Ellenor, president, Brickworks North America. “The Baltimore Design Studio is the latest in a series of planned Design Studio openings, created to provide personalized style insights and customized services to architects, designers and their clients. We are excited to further expand our footprint in North America with our global flagship Design Studio in New York City slated for early 2022.”

Located at 600 South Broadway, the Baltimore Design Studio is a 3,312-square-foot stylish space in the historic neighborhood of Fells Point. The two-story building features:

●    One-on-one expert consultations – Architects, designers, trade professionals and consumers can receive one-on-one consultations with a product expert who can add convenience and clarity to the product selection process, helping to turn the boldest project ideas into transformative realities. The studio’s team of highly qualified staff will be led by Design Studio Manager Eva Cohen, who has more than 8 years’ experience in custom residential and building design.

●    Premium products on display - At the Baltimore Design Studio, visitors can browse, touch and leave with samples of the most beautiful and enduring building products. From uniquely colored brick to high-end Venetian glass brick, architects and designers alike can feel inspired by the endless design possibilities that result from being up close with Glen-Gery products.

●    Premier industry events - The Design Studio’s events team will oversee the expansion of Brickworks’ acclaimed events to North America. Through networking events, speaker series and presentations, industry leaders can gather to discuss cutting-edge trends and the design versatility of brick.

The new Design Studio will build on Glen-Gery’s long history of servicing the architectural and design community in Baltimore and Washington D.C. through its L&L Supply locations. These stores have been in operation for more than 70 years.

The Baltimore Design Studio is Brickworks’ second Design Studio in the U.S. and eighth Design Studio internationally. To learn more about Brickworks Design Studios, visit https://glengery.com/brickworks-design-studios.

Glen-Gery Launches First U.S. Edition of Folio Publication

From architectural concept through construction, high-end publication celebrates masonry’s beauty while exploring design process

Wyomissing, Pa.​ (January 21, 2021) — Today, Glen-Gery Corporation, a part of Brickworks Limited of Australia, announced the launch of Folio in the U.S., a high-end publication that explores the architectural process while celebrating the beauty of brick in both traditional and innovative designs. The book features work by some of today’s most inspiring design firms across North America.

“Folio is a collection of works that dare to explore, demystify and celebrate the use of bricks in architectural design,” said Tim Leese, director of marketing, Glen-Gery. “Through this rigorously curated collection of projects, architects and designers can find inspiration, resources and references that showcase the unique story of how brick can serve as the foundation to the most creative design story.”

As a go-to material for centuries, brick carries a sense of tradition while also serving as a popular choice for contemporary architects to showcase strength, variety and sustainability in design. 

Folio features the most exciting new brick buildings in America, from brickwork emulating computer code in Rochester, to contemporary brick forms nodding to the historic neighbors in Louisville, to special shape bricks creating a sculptural facade in New York - the commonality is that each project features brick manufactured by Glen-Gery.

To receive a complimentary copy of Folio, visit https://www.glengery.com/folio.

Brickworks North America Corporation Expands Direct Distribution Network with the Acquisition of The Largest Independent Brick Distributor in the U.S.

Brickworks North America Corporation (Brickworks N.A.), parent company of Glen-Gery Corporation, announced today the acquisition of several key businesses from Southfield Corporation. These companies include Illinois Brick, Indiana Brick, Rose Brick, Edgewood Landscape Supply, Lafayette Masonry Supply and Kokomo Masonry and Landscape Supply locations.

Southfield’s family of companies is the largest independently-owned and operated brick and masonry supply companies in the U.S. It offers a full-line of brick, natural and manufactured stone, hardscapes, masonry supplies and tools. The acquisition comprises of 17 supply centers.

According to Mark Ellenor, President, Brickworks N.A., the acquisition is strategically important to the company, providing Brickworks with a larger presence in the Midwest and expanding its network of company-owned distribution locations from 10 to 27. Glen-Gery manufacturing facilities in the Midwest are located in Adel and Sergeant Bluff, Iowa; Caledonia and Iberia, Ohio; Marseilles, Illinois; and Cynthiana, Kentucky.

“Southfield has been one of Glen-Gery’s largest distributors for many years,” says Ellenor. “We have long standing relationships with their sales and management teams and look forward to welcoming their talented people to the Brickworks family.  Our two companies share the same values and passion for the brick industry and are focused on supporting the contemporary style needs of today’s architects, designers and home builders. It was time for these two great companies with innovative leadership to come together.”

These additional distribution outlets will give building and design customers access to a continuous supply of competitive brands, backed by one of the top brick manufacturers in America, Glen-Gery. By leveraging the full-line of hardscapes and accessories at the Southfield locations, Brickworks can expand this product offering to its other company-owned supply centers.

Since entering the North American market in 2018, Brickworks has acquired three major brick manufacturers and now one of the country’s largest masonry supply companies.

“As we continue on this growth journey, we are working diligently to modernize our manufacturing plants, expand our offering of innovative, design-driven building products and are currently building our global flagship design studio on 5th Avenue, New York” says Ellenor.

Alan Oremus, Chief Executive Officer at Southfield Corporation, sees the acquisition as a significant milestone in the 40-year history of IBC. “The Brickworks and Glen-Gery culture are the perfect fit for Southfield,” he says. “They are industry leaders with rich histories who share Southfield’s customer-first service philosophy, its focus on the architectural and design community, and its passion for the brick industry. They offer unlimited potential to grow the business and increased opportunities for all employees. I’d like to thank all of our employees for their incredible hard work over many decades.”

To view the Brickworks Limited financial release related to this acquisition, visit: (link).

Brickworks Opens New North American Supply Center

New 25,000-square-foot masonry supply center in Des Moines designed to meet all the project needs of architects, trade professionals and homeowners under one roof

Des Moines, Iowa.​ (May 27, 2021) — Brickworks North America, parent company of Glen-Gery, has announced the grand opening of a new masonry supply center in the greater Des Moines metropolitan area. The new supply center is a modern space that has been carefully designed to foster creativity, maximize project efficiency and promote education among trade professionals and homeowners.   "Glen-Gery has always been committed to providing customized, end-to-end solutions to meet every customer's unique needs," said Mark Ellenor, president, Brickworks North America. "Whether you're an experienced builder, architect or a homeowner, the new supply center in Des Moines is a premium one-stop shop where customers can not only collaborate and leverage our expertise, but also compare, select, and purchase everything they need for their projects."

Located at 4601 NW Urbandale Drive, the supply center's 25,000-square-foot space includes:

• A consultation area where a team of experienced staff will offer expert advice, review plans and guide customers through the product selection process for projects of any size. 
• A stunning 7,000-square-foot showroom displaying an impressive portfolio of products, including brick, stone and pavers. 
• An 18,000-square-foot warehouse hosting a large selection of masonry products and supplies. 
• A trade area where builders, contractors and homeowners can purchase necessary tools and supplies. 
• A fully-equipped training and education center for trade professionals to expand their knowledge and technical skills through a forthcoming series of seminars, classes and trainings. 
• A high-end event space for industry events hosted by Glen-Gery.

Glen-Gery currently operates ten masonry supply centers in the U.S. and has a long history of manufacturing and distributing brick products in Iowa. To learn more about Glen-Gery, visit www.glengery.com.