Achieving sustainable growth in South Africa’s highly competitive heavy building materials market is a carefully balanced task that requires operation
Achieving sustainable growth in South Africa’s highly competitive heavy building materials market is a carefully balanced task that requires operations to perform at the highest levels while maintaining operational efficiency and strategic foresight to remain ahead of the competitors.
This is where Strand-based precast manufacturer, Blublok, has thrived over the past three years, providing a textbook example of how modern concrete producers can evolve. Blublok’s impressive upward trajectory over the last 36 months stems from a deliberate long-term capital investment plan focused on three core operational pillars: expanding production capacity, integrating renewable energy infrastructure and pushing efficiency across all manufacturing processes.
According to Blublok managing director, Jess Brews, the first stage of Blublok’s growth narrative was the establishment of a dedicated high-capacity cement paver production plant in 2023 to complement its existing wet-cast and brick and block plants at its central manufacturing precinct in Strand. Previously known for its robust output of concrete masonry units and wet-cast concrete units, Brews recognized an escalating need in the market for a better paver. “I have seen the product quality available in Europe and there is no reason why our customers should not get the same variety of options available elsewhere in the world.”
“Our paving plant was commissioned in 2023 and continues to produce high volumes of superb quality pavers. We now fully understand the capability of the plant and what it likes and does not like, and we have succeeded in offering the market a better paver at the same price they would have paid elsewhere for an inferior product. I can confidently say that the vast majority of our customers who use our pavers become return customers and it is down to the quality, service and pricing that we offer,” says Brews.
He explains that the fully automated brick and block plant, which has seen numerous technological upgrades in the last few years is still maintaining its production capacity of approximately 3400 boards daily. “My mindset changed this year from chasing the margin to chasing the volumes. Some products will enjoy more margin than others – but what is important is to get the order and service the customer correctly. However, this principle only works if you are manufacturing as efficiently as you can.”
To meet market demand, the company is currently making substantial capital investment to upgrade its wet-cast facility with a brand-new batching plant currently being commissioned, as well as a second production line which will effectively double its daily wet-cast production capacity without increasing its staffing requirement. “Our wet-cast customers want their stock when they want it and we need to be able to deliver when called upon.” The new batching plant will also see an increase in production quality, efficiency and control while reducing material waste. Having stock available is a key consideration and the quality of the products produced is one of the main reasons why customers return for repeat business. The expansions are due for completion by the start of 2027.
“It is no secret that recycled materials are playing a big role in remaining competitive these days. Virgin raw materials, cement and diesel prices increase significantly more every year than the price of bricks. That is why I have the greatest respect for the operations in our industry who recycle properly. Unfortunately, incorporating recycled materials is not always done properly, which does have an adverse effect on the quality of your products and this has sadly left a stigma in the market when it comes to manufacturing using recycled materials.”
“With this in mind, we do not shy away from using recycled materials but rather ensure our input materials are of the highest quality. We see the correct usage of recycled materials as a competitive advantage and have recently laid out substantial capital for a comprehensive crushing and screening plant which will be commissioned and operational shortly to supply a proportion of the materials to our plants.
“It is phenomenal what you can achieve with recycled materials if you have the discipline to monitor your primary input material. We have already established our supply of source material and when we are confident that we can produce a high-quality recycled material, we will start incorporating it in the products where margins are under the most pressure,” Brews explains.
He continues that alongside the recycling initiative, solar energy is another initiative the company has embraced in its quest to achieve the highest possible levels of sustainability. Security and operational continuity represent two of the most critical challenges facing contemporary South African manufacturers. Rising grid electricity costs coupled with load-shedding risks can quickly erode profit margins and disrupt production schedules.
Recognising that true operational efficiency must include energy resilience, Blublok invested heavily in a commercial-scale solar PV installation in November 2025. “It is one of those things you wish you had done sooner. The saving alone makes it worthwhile but knowing you are independently in control of your production facility lets you sleep easier at night. We installed a substantial solar plant which is run by an AI system that ‘learns’ your business and optimises the solar, batteries and grid-tie functions. We have also replaced four of our forklifts with electric machines with another one on the way. Energy efficiency becomes addictive and I have no doubt we will continue to take advantage of renewable energy sources as we evolve.”
“We are one of the only manufacturers in the Cape that distributes primarily with our own fleet. This year saw the addition of three more delivery vehicles into our fleet, bringing the fleet size to 10 trucks. Doing our own deliveries allows us to service our customers as quickly as possible. We have also started trading and delivering raw materials to our customers. Our customers want to get as much as they can from one place and if they can get the bricks, sand, stone and cement in one stop, they are happy,” he says.
FISANTEKRAAL
While expanding production capacity solves supply dynamics, unlocking long-term market leadership requires solving the logistical equation. Concrete masonry units and paving blocks are inherently heavy, high-density products where transport costs scale rapidly with distance. Historically operating out of Strand, Blublok faced a natural haulage radius beyond which freight costs became prohibitive for price-sensitive commercial contractors.
To overcome this geographical boundary, Blublok is launching a dedicated secondary distribution facility strategically positioned in Fisantekraal near the ever-expanding Durbanville, Kraaifontein and Paarl/Winelands corridors.
The Fisantekraal facility is designed as a logistical hub, featuring extensive hardstanding yards capable of maintaining substantial inventory reserves across all product lines. Contractors no longer face lead times on core stock items. Instead, they can view, select and collect materials directly from the yard or schedule site deliveries directly from their nearest distribution point.
“While we are well located for manufacturing, it has always been a challenge servicing our customers beyond our radius. Not because they do not want our product, but because the transport kills the deal. We have been blessed that there has been a lot of development inside our radius, but it will not last forever, and my team and I are excited about Fisantekraal and so are our customers. Sales and deliveries from that yard will be co-ordinated by the existing head office in conjunction with an on-site office in Fisantekraal and our customers can expect access to our products at the same or similar rates they would receive from our manufacturing facility in Strand. At this stage, manufacturing will remain in Strand but should a secondary manufacturing operation be justified, that is what we will do,” says Brews.
The story of Blublok over the last three years demonstrates how technical capability and smart market positioning can combine to drive sustainable business growth. By investing in modern manufacturing technology and high-volume output at its Strand plants, Blublok has built a foundation of product excellence. By establishing its strategic footprint in Fisantekraal, the company is ensuring that excellence reaches a broader market than ever before.
