Wienerberger, the largest producer of baked bricks and roof tiles in the Czech Republic, had revenues from the sale of products, services and goods of CZK 4.87 billion last year. They rose by 20.5 percent year-on-year. Profit after tax rose 68.9 percent to CZK 1.32 billion.
It was one of the best years for the company.
Unpredictable last year
“The past year was not only a challenging year for the construction segment. In a word, the events of the past year can be summed up as unpredictable. We have managed this year full of twists and turns with honour and the results are among the most successful in the more than 30-year history of Wienerbeger in the Czech Republic,” said Kamil Jeřábek, CEO of the company. The company’s net sales rose 18 percent year-on-year to CZK 5.23 billion. Operating profit rose by two-thirds to CZK 1.64 billion. Pre-tax profit rose almost 69 percent to CZK 1.64 billion.
Huge demand for building materials continued in the first half of last year, building up to 2021. Interest in Wienerberger’s materials exceeded its production capacity many times over, the company said in a report. Demand fell in the second half of the year, due to rising energy prices, mortgage interest rates and inflation, as a result of the war in Ukraine, Jeřábek said.
Increased cost
The firm’s costs rose 40 percent year-on-year last year due to energy prices, mainly gas. Demand for masonry materials has fallen since August. It was down by 20 to 30 percent for single-family houses, and it was also down for apartment buildings, Jeřábek told ČTK last November. The company has increased prices since January this year, planning to reach double digits. It wants to build solar power plants to save money.
Wienerberger has around 900 employees. In 2019, it completed a merger with Tondach ČR, a roofing manufacturer. It is a member of the Wienerberger Group – the world’s largest listed brick manufacturer. It has six brickworks and two roofing plants in the Czech Republic. Wienerberger’s annual sales are about 11,000 houses and 15,000 roofs. The production capacity of Tondach CR exceeds 50 million baked roof tiles. Wienerberger and Tondach operate at 16 locations in the Czech Republic.
Source Czech Press Office
