Brick price in Romania may increase 10% following higher energy prices

The price for a cubic meter of bricks could increase 10% this year following rising costs and prices for energy and fuels, according to Iulian Mangalagiu, general manager of brick and tile producer Ceramica Iasi. A cubic meter of bricks is now sells for 350 LEI.

Mangalagiu noted that imports of brick will be required to cover 20-25% of the internal market's needs. However, increase in the production capacities of Ceramica Iasi and other companies should allow the entire Romanian demand for brick to be covered domestically by 2011.

Ceramica Iasi is investing 24 million Euros to build a new brick factory that aims to a double production capacity relative to similar sized factories in Romania.