Brick is more than beautiful. Brick is sustainable, energy-efficient and durable. For more than a century Ohio’s Belden Brick Company has been turning raw materials into roads, living spaces, community centers and more. What began with one man’s quest to convert clay and shale into brick changed the course of local transport and has become an integral part of life across the United States and beyond.
In 1885, the population of Canton was about 20,000 people. A young William McKinley was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and local travel was accomplished by way of dirt roads. A local politician and the city’s former mayor, Henry Belden, began firing clay and shale, ultimately creating the paving brick that served as the city’s first road between Tuscarawas and 2nd streets southeast. Soon after, the pavers could be seen across the state of Ohio.
“He had his hands involved in a lot of things and was always thinking of the future and products needed to enhance lifestyle. He was always trying to find a way to improve surroundings and provide a product people wanted,” says Brian Belden, vice president of sales & marketing of the Belden Brick Company and great-great-grandson of the company’s founder.
The culture of innovation and attention to customer needs continued, allowing the ensuing generations to grow the business into a global company.
In total, Belden Brick has five manufacturing plants and a saw cutting plant in Sugarcreek and owns three distributorships in the United States and Canada. Belden Tri-State Building Materials has three offices located in New York, Philadelphia and Saddlebrook, New Jersey. Belden Brick Sales Company is in Fraser, Michigan, and Premier Brick Sales of Indiana, a joint venture, is in Westfield, Indiana.
“Every 10-15 years we are making a plant renovation or building a new plant,” says Belden. “Our plant number eight, which was originally built in 1968, is undergoing a capital investment project now which includes automation and robotics as a significant part of the plan. Technology changes the way we handle the brick and move it around the plant.”
Adapting to changing consumer preferences requires significant research and development. Colors are important. Raw materials found in this region dictate the base color of the brick, and combining additives creates more options.
“Today’s demand is more in favor of whites, grays and even black brick as opposed to traditional red brick. What we call fire clay is a creamy white material that would ultimately make a cream or gray color brick, while shale burns more of a red,” Belden explains. “The beauty of brick in my mind is that it’s maintenance free and you don’t have to maintain it,” he adds.
Thin brick, glazed brick and clay pavers are becoming increasingly popular. Thin brick is commonly used for the interior of homes for projects like backsplashes in kitchens or behind bars, laundry rooms and bathrooms as well as for accent walls, etc. Thin brick can also be used on the exterior; it is commonly used in California for large-scale projects.
Clay pavers enhance residential walkways and driveways and add resale value to homes. However, they are often found in commercial projects like Centennial Plaza as well.
Precast concrete panels, which are filled with concrete and surrounded with thin brick, are commonly used in commercial projects like Busch Stadium in St. Louis, which has three different types of brick: full, thin brick panels and half brick.
Regardless of the type of brick used, Belden says, “We always go back to quality and knowing that once we know our product goes into the package it will get to the jobsite. When it gets to the wall and the finished building, the customer knows it’s going to last. We’re always looking at quality control throughout our process. We can try to see where issues may happen. If something is happening that isn’t right, we call that process or pull that brick out.”
As the company continues to serve the private and commercial brick needs of individuals and businesses, the Beldens remain steadfast in their commitment to Canton and the surrounding area. In the early 1900s, Paul Belden was instrumental in the founding of the United Way of Greater Stark County. Today the family’s legacy of community involvement continues.
“This is where we live. This is where we work, and we want the best for everyone. We really are rooted in the community. It’s been a focus of our family that’s been passed down from generation to generation. We’ve been in business here for 137 years. We want to make things better and do what we can to provide a product that enhances the community and environment,” says Belden.
Belden Brick products are sold exclusively through distributors. Product samples are available at the Canton showroom. For more information or to find a distributor, visit BeldenBrick.com