In 1946 Charles and Gerry New set up a brickyard in
Middle Swan with £200 borrowed from their mother, to address the severe shortage of building supplies—especially bricks—after
World War II. Charles collected clay from the
Darling Range and experimented making bricks in his oven at home. The nine kilns that came with the acquisition made the firm the world's largest brick producer on one site, which was recognised in the 1996 edition of the
Guinness Book of Records. In 2006 the firm commissioned Kiln 11, a high-tech robotic kiln which can produce up to 50 million bricks each year. The kiln is more environmentally friendly, using less gas with fewer emissions and less waste and able to produce a greater range of bricks. In the same year the company had to deal with issues relating to pollution. In August 2019, Boral agreed terms to sell Midland Brick to
BGC. On 1 September 2021, the Brikmakers brand was retired after operations were integrated into the single Midland Brick brand. ==References==