Brick industry unites following roofers' lead

Contractors, clients, specialists, and manufacturers in the brick industry have united to form a Better Brickwork Alliance.

The initiative, which aims to improve efficiency and quality, reduce costs, and promote skills and training, is modelled on the recently launched Roofing Industry Alliance and follows a study carried out for the Brick Development Association by the Business Round Table.

Chairman of the Alliance Sir Idris Pearce, a past president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, commented: "I am only too well aware of the difficulties that the industry faces when there is a shortage of good quality bricklayers. This problem has been tackled before, but only with modest success.

"And I feel our efforts have been far too fragmented. The Alliance provides the opportunity for all those with an interest in this to work together. I am sure that in this co-ordinated way we can achieve something which will benefit the whole construction industry."