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On 11 May 2006, Midland Brick - Western Australia's leading manufacturer of clay brick and pavers - officially launched a new manufacturing kiln that reduces site emissions and increases production quantities.

The kiln was opened by the Minister for Housing and Works and Member for Midland, The Hon Michelle Roberts MLA, with Mr Rod Pearse, CEO & Managing Director of Boral Limited. At the time, the $53 million Kiln 11 was the most technologically and environmentally advanced kiln in the southern hemisphere.

Mrs Roberts said Kiln 11 was an impressive facility that enabled more bricks to be produced for the local market, and importantly, reduced the environmental emissions and number of waste bricks from the site.

"With growing pressure on all companies within the building industry to manage their commercial objectives with their environmental responsibilities, I am delighted to open a facility that will achieve both," Mrs Roberts said.

Rod Pearse, CEO & Managing Director of Boral Limited, Midland Brick's parent company, congratulated Midland Brick on the completion of this significant project.

"Kiln 11 has been a substantial and complex construction project for Midland Brick which started in October 2004 after a thorough and lengthy environmental approval process.

"In this the 60th year of operation for Midland Brick, the construction of Kiln 11 is evidence of our continued investment and ongoing commitment to serving the Western Australia housing and construction markets," Mr Pearse said.

Kiln 11 has the capacity to produce 50 million standard bricks a year and when fully commissioned will allow the closure of the 40-year old Kiln 4, which has 20% less capacity.



Kiln 11 will produce a greater variety of bricks, blocks, pavers and facing tiles in all ranges, and will allow Midland Brick to produce thinner facing tiles and two course soft mud bricks, a first for WA.

"Further evidence of Midland's focus on meeting its customer's needs is the current application it has lodged to construct Kiln 12 at the Middle Swan site. Whilst the timing of Kiln 12 is yet to be determined, early approval of the development application will enable Midland to be highly responsive to WA's market demands in the future," added Mr Pearse.

Beyond the capacity lifts which will benefit the Perth building industry, Kiln 11 also offers environmental and safety improvements.

"We undertook significant research, including extensive community and industry consultation, to ensure that upgrades to the site would provide greater capacity and, at the same time, reduce the site's impact on the environment and community and improve our brickmaking operations for employees," said Midland Brick's ex Divisional General Manager.

"Midland Brick has achieved significant unit reduction in air emissions in recent years and investment in this new kiln reinforces our commitment to reduce emissions and our overall environmental impacts even further whilst meeting industry demand for our products.

"Kiln 11 will result in a reduction in waste bricks and the inclusion of a steel pressure membrane, which requires less gas to reach the desired firing temperatures, will result in a more energy-efficient operation and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

"In terms of employee health and safety, Kiln 11 features the latest German-designed robotics for product handing and placement, significantly reducing manual handling tasks. This will make it a much safer plant in which to work. In addition, the incorporation of significant ventilation will ensure that heat does not build up inside the new plant in summer," added Mr Hogan.



Midland Brick employees have undergone extensive training for the operation of Kiln 11 and a number of staff have travelled to Germany to receive training from the kiln's manufacturer Keller HCW.

Celebrating its 60th year in WA in 2006, Midland Brick is proud of its reputation for innovation and continues to strive for the best outcomes for its customers, the community and the local environment.
 


Minister Michelle Roberts, Boral CEO Rod Pearse and Midland Brick DGM Peter Hogan State-of-the-art robot technology Kiln Supervisor Steve Stribley and Operator Tony Dias Kiln car entering the kiln