Botswana brick maker Lobatse Clay Works fires up the kilns

Lobatse Clay Works in Botswana is back in business, firing up the kilns once more to supply the nation’s construction sector with essential building materials

It follows an injection of funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB), in partnership with the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) to turn around the company’s fortunes.

The brick manufacturer, based in southern Botswana, was once the cornerstone of the country’s construction industry and is now enjoying something of a renaissance.

Founded in 1992 as a joint venture between BDC and American firm Inter-Kiln, Lobatse Clay Works established itself as the nation's premier maker of bricks.

For decades, its distinctive reddish-brown bricks were synonymous with Botswana's construction boom, during which schools, hospitals and government buildings all showcased the company's craftsmanship.

But in 2017, it faced a perfect storm of challenges.

Ageing equipment, production inefficiencies and rising fuel costs forced the shuttering of the once-thriving operation, leaving the factory idled and stripping the community of both jobs and identity.

Now, that’s all changing, said Anthony Moepeng, acting CEO of Lobatse Clay Works.

The recent investment enabled Lobatse Clay Works to acquire state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment that dramatically improved energy efficiency.

A new hybrid fuel system slashed production costs, while enhanced kiln technology boosted output capacity and product quality.

Investment enabled the plant to reopen in 2024 and the revitalised factory has already created 148 direct jobs with hundreds more expected in supporting industries from transportation to services.

“The buildings that shaped modern Botswana will rise again from our clay,” said Moepeng.

The plant's output of three million bricks per month is high enough to meet domestic construction demand and serve export markets in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, generating valuable foreign exchange for Botswana's economy.

"This has enabled us to restart operations and produce enough bricks for expansion opportunities into the region,” added Benedicta Abosi, acting managing director at BDC.

Lobatse Clay Works's revival also aligns with Botswana’s industrial diversification goal to reduce dependence on diamond revenues by strengthening manufacturing capability.

The company now plans to expand from brick manufacturing to include tiles, further cementing its role in Botswana's construction renaissance and economic diversification efforts.

Read more:

More productivity at lower cost: a quarry challenge

BAM's sustainable construction solution in focus at Hannover Messe

Bricks for building communities on the Cape