Concrete Blocks and Bricks Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type ((Cement Block (Hollow, Fully Solid, and Cellular) and Brick (Clay, Fly Ash Clay, Sand Lime, and Others)), By Application (Residential, Commercial, and Industrial), and Regional Forecast, 2022-2029

The global concrete blocks and bricks market size was valued at USD 350.80 billion in 2021. The market is projected to grow from USD 369.66 billion in 2022 to USD 566.41 billion by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period. Asia Pacific dominated the concrete blocks and bricks market with a market share of 47.36% in 2021. Moreover, the concrete blocks and bricks market size in the U.S. is projected to grow significantly, reaching an estimated value of USD 42.18 billion by 2032, driven by the increasing investment in the real estate sector. 

The global COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented and staggering, with concrete blocks and bricks experiencing lower-than-anticipated demand across all regions compared to pre-pandemic levels. Based on our analysis, the global market exhibited a decline of -1.2% in 2020 as compared to 2019.

Concrete blocks and bricks are used for residential, commercial, and industrial construction as the product offers various advantages such as providing thermal resistance if suitable parameters are taken during the construction. It reduced construction time as concrete brick manufacturing enable more systematic, stronger, and faster construction than plasterboard walls. Moreover, the product is utilized in constructing fireplace buildings, chimneys, and non-bearing walls as it delivers better compressive strengths and durability and remains affordable and environment-friendly.

Additionally, residential space requirements such as buildings, apartments, and private bungalows have increased over the past years. This has resulted in the growth of the construction industry, leading to an increased demand for construction and infrastructure materials. Blocks and bricks are the key raw materials for this construction. Thus, the growth of the product is associated with its use in the construction industry.

On the other hand, urbanization has increased in the last decade. According to World Bank Data, the urban population reached 56% in 2021 from 47% in 2000 out of the world population to maintain a better quality of life and career opportunity. This has urged the residential, commercial, and industrial construction requirements. Additionally, governments in the fastest developing countries have encouraged construction & infrastructure activities, which is expected to boost the concrete blocks and bricks market growth in the forecast period.

Materials, including carbon fiber, may hinder market growth, as they can be produced using carbon-reinforced fibers and capture more carbon than their emission rate, respectively, making them suitable for advanced construction. On the other hand, the product has low tensile strength, making it a less preferable choice for the construction. Additionally, most acme bricks are made of the firing process and used in masonry construction. These clay bricks can absorb water through the pores, which can harm building construction in case of excess porosity.

COVID-19 IMPACT

Supply Chain Disruptions Due to Lockdown Restrictions Hampered the Market Growth

The construction industry faced a massive downward trend over the past decade due to the COVID-19 pandemic as governments of several countries imposed lockdowns on business operations. This resulted in the prevention of construction activities.

Many companies persistently worked to improve their supply chain. Despite the uncertainties, the global market has been moderately profitable as the product is widely used to construct buildings and apartments.

The demand for concrete blocks and bricks has been falling since the end of 2019. For instance, the Chinese cement industry’s output decreased by 8.2% from January to May 2020. Additionally, the demand for the product slowed down as the government initiated only the manufacturers involved in the production of consumer goods.

As a result, the product’s producers faced dramatic changes in the supply-demand chain, business operations, production capacities, and logistic delays.

LATEST TRENDS

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Increased Demand for Eco-friendly Concrete Blocks and Bricks May Create Market Opportunity

The rapid growth in the construction industry and the encouragement of government-public affairs will create an opportunity to increase market share in developing countries. Concrete brick manufacturers can enhance their products to fulfill the consumer’s needs. For instance, manufacturers may add accelerating, waterproofing, and water-reducing admixture to enhance the form, quality, and tensile strength. Moreover, admixture may reduce the production cost of the product.

Environmental concern has increased over the past years. Many countries, such as the U.K. and the U.S., have banned various manufacturing processes emitting high carbon dioxide. Thus, this created a massive opportunity for the new and existing product manufacturers to establish a key presence by taking the first step toward green or eco-friendly concrete blocks and brick manufacturing, which may surge product demand worldwide.

Concrete blocks and bricks fall under the essential construction material in the construction industry. There is a massive opportunity for a product manufacturer to produce both products in new and different sizes using enhanced raw materials.  Thus, these advanced designs may not be limited to external surface applications but will be used so far.

Thus, all these factors are expected to create a massive opportunity for the market size to increase during the forecast period.

DRIVING FACTORS

Rising Demand for Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Blocks and Bricks in the Construction Industry to Aid Market Growth

The demand for the product has grown to increase the strength and durability of the building. For instance, autoclaved aerated concrete blocks and bricks offer aesthetic appeal and a solid architectural structure. Thus, the product is widely used in airports, commercial buildings, and museums.

Autoclaved aerated concrete blocks and bricks enable the casting of intricate structures. This unique structure enables extreme tensile strength, less damage, and longer life span. Moreover, the high tensile strength and load-sharing ability make the product more robust and lighter than standard concrete bricks and blocks. Despite this, the use of autoclaved aerated concrete bricks and blocks makes them useful for cutting-edge construction by allowing them flexible construction.

Changes in geography and trends in the latest architectural design influence the construction industry as construction companies offer innovative designs such as cantilever balconies, unitized curtain walls integrated with glazing assembly, floating stairs, and others. Autoclaved aerated concrete bricks and blocks are utilized in all these applications as the product offers superior mechanical properties and a dynamic finish.

Furthermore, the growth of autoclaved aerated concrete bricks and blocks is gradually increasing, as the demand for modular design is high worldwide. It is the fastest approach to constructing a building. In a modular building, the sections are built offsite and assembled on-site. This process boosts the demand for the product.

In conclusion, the demand for high-performance, lightweight construction materials has increased over the last decade. Builders have used autoclaved aerated concrete bricks and blocks to construct safer buildings. Thus, the demand for the product is expected to increase in the forecast period.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Environmental Impacts and Introduction of Enhanced Building Material May Hamper the Market Growth

The use of products has uplifted the construction industry, but the emission caused by the product's manufacturing may hamper growth. Most of the concrete blocks are usually made of Portland cement, emitting a massive amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that leads to air, soil, and water pollution and is hazardous to human health.

Despite the environmental concern, the introduction of new and enhanced building materials accounted for the slow growth of the global market. Cracking the product is a severe problem for consumers, leading to the demand for new and enhanced raw materials. To address the construction material challenges, many researchers have developed alternatives. These alternatives are anticipated to hinder the market growth.

SEGMENTATION

By Type Analysis

Cement Block is Expected to Surge Demand due to their Dominant Use in Construction Industry

Based on type, the market is segmented into cement block and brick.

The growth of the brick segment is associated with the increase in industrial operations and residential construction worldwide. The population has doubled since 1986; meanwhile, the population density has increased from 33 persons per square kilometer to 52. This has resulted in a boom in the construction industry. Bricks are the traditional and oldest construction material as it is cheaper and widely available worldwide. Additionally, bricks have always been the first choice among blocks and paving materials. Thus, the demand for bricks is expected to mature during the forecast period.

On the other hand, cement blocks are one of the advanced technologies in the construction industry. Cement concrete blocks enable various construction processes, including precast and modular construction, as they offer extreme strength over the bricks. For instance, using the AAC or autoclaved aerated concrete type of blocks may help reduce steel consumption, foundation load, and mortar consumption, making the product more adaptable to constructors. Thus, all these factors are expected to boost the segment, which further surges the product demand.

By Application Analysis

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Residential is Expected to Surge Demand Due to Rapid Increase in Population

The market is segmented into residential, commercial, and industrial based on application.

The growth of the residential segment is associated with the demand for roofing materials for residential purposes and increasing policy and institutional support for building housing infrastructure in emerging economies. In addition, growing preference for single-family housing structures, ease of credit access, and low-interest rates play an important role in the overall demand for residential structures.

Lower interest rates, higher incomes, and higher investment by the German government are likely to drive the growth. With a growing population, increasing demand for renovation and development of buildings will surge the demand for commercial construction. Moreover, governments worldwide have developed programs aimed at designing, constructing, and operating structures that follow the concept of green construction for efficient use of energy and resources used for construction. The key players in this segment are developing eco-friendly alternatives to address the rising demand for sustainable raw materials in the construction industry. These factors are expected to surge the demand for commercial buildings worldwide.

The rapid increase in industrialization and advanced infrastructure is driving the industrial segment. The segment will grow with a moderate CAGR during the forecast period.

REGIONAL INSIGHTS

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The Asia Pacific market size accounted for USD 166.13 billion in 2021. The market growth in the region is associated with the growing infrastructure and rising population. India and China have the highest populations in the region, thereby surging the demand for residential areas, including apartments, buildings, and bungalows. The number of construction material manufacturers, such as cement, blocks, and bricks, has increased in the region due to higher demand and availability of raw materials. Moreover, Asian countries, such as India, have 20% of the world’s working population, and thus disposable income has increased over the past year. This has resulted in a higher demand for construction areas. Additionally, developing countries in the region spend more on infrastructure projects in both the residential and commercial sectors. Therefore, the market is expected to grow in the forecast period.

North America accounted for a significant concrete blocks and bricks market share. High disposable income and consumer preference for high-quality raw materials are due to the region's product demand. Countries in the region, such as the U.S., have the highest per capita income, which puts pressure on manufacturers to deliver high-quality construction materials. Thus, the usage of concrete type of blocks and bricks has drastically increased in the region.

The market growth in Europe is associated with changes in lifestyle and increasing investment in the real estate sector. European countries, such as the U.K., have a high ratio of renovation activities as the local government and environmental protection agencies are encouraging consumers to decarbonize non-residential buildings by renovating them and reach the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 to maintain an eco-friendly environment.

The market in Latin America is gradually increasing over the past years. There is rapid increase in infrastructure, including railways, airports, tunnels, dams, and flyovers in the growing economies in the region, including Brazil and Mexico. The demand for the product to support the increasing infrastructure will aid the market growth in the forecast period.

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The Middle East & Africa accounted for moderate share of the global market. The market in the region is associated with the execution of mega construction projects. For instance, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the prince of Saudi Arabia, has recently started a project called NEOM. This is the smartest city being built in the Tabuk province in northwestern Saudi Arabia, which is expected to be the largest construction project in the world. Thus, this kind of mega project in the region has always been the major support for construction materials such as concrete bricks and blocks.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Strategic Planning Adopted by Companies to Upscale their Market Share

A few major players primarily dominate the market. The existing players have maintained a competitive edge over other players owing to their unique type offerings and developed proprietary types. Additionally, the companies are constantly conducting R&D activities to develop improved solutions to match the changing needs of the electronic industry.

The major concrete blocks and brick manufacturers operating in this market are CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V., Brickworks Limited, UltraTech Cement, Midwest Block and Brick, and Monaprecast, among other players. Plant expansions and strategic mergers & acquisitions characterize the global market. The market's major businesses have been actively acquiring competitors for better economies of scale. To put it simply, scale makes it simpler for established companies to maintain their dominance, resulting in fierce competition. Interstate Bricks, Wallnett AAC Bricks Pvt. Ltd., UltraTech Cement, CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V., LCC Siporex, Midwest Block and Brick, Magicrete Building Solutions, Monaprecast, Midland Concrete Products, and Brickworks Limited are other participants in the market.

LIST OF KEY COMAPNIES PROFILED:

• Interstate Bricks (U.S.)


• Wallnett AAC Bricks Pvt. Ltd. (India)


• UltraTech Cement (India)


• CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V. (Mexico)


• LCC Siporex (Saudi Arabia)


• Midwest Block and Brick (U.S.)


• Magicrete Building Solutions (India)


• Monaprecast (U.K.)


• Midland Concrete Products (U.S.)


• Brickworks Limited (Australia)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• April 2022 - Brickworks Limited announced that the group would establish its presence in North Queensland. The group decided to extend its manufacturing and distribution operation to maximize revenue.


• January 2022 - CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. announced it agreed with the U.K.-based company Breedon Group plc to sell certain assets. This kind of agreement is expected to boost the market’s revenue.


• August 2021 - Brickworks Limited acquired the largest brick distributor in the U.S. named Southfield Corporation. Brickworks Limited had the agreement for US$ 51.1 billion.


• October 2020 - Brickworks Limited launched its newest brick product named Brickworks 20. The purpose of the new product launch is to maximize revenue.


• September 2016 - Midwest Blocks and Bricks acquired the Basic Group LLC. The purpose of the acquisition was to establish the different states in the U.S.

REPORT COVERAGE

An Infographic Representation of Concrete Blocks and Bricks Market

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The research report provides a detailed analysis of the market and focuses on crucial aspects such as leading companies, types, and applications. In addition, it offers insights into market trends and highlights vital industry developments. In addition to the factors mentioned above, the report encompasses various factors contributing to the market's growth in recent years. It further includes historical data & forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and analyzes the latest market dynamics and opportunities.

Report Scope & Segmentation