Rebuilding the Brick Industry
South Asia is currently in an unprecedented phase of rapid urbanization. Accelerated industrialization and economic growth have led to an increased demand for construction materials – particularly bricks. A World Bank 2020 study reports that South Asia produces 21 per cent of the world’s bricks, second only to China.
Brickmaking is also a major driver of climate impact. In Nepal alone, the sector is responsible for 37 per cent of CO2 emissions and causes approximately 600 annual deaths, placing a USD 46 million annual burden on Nepal’s public health system, according to the World Bank report.
In 2019, InnoCSR – based in the Republic of Korea – introduced a non-fired brick making technology to the Nepalese market known as the Good Bricks System (GBS). GBS’s production process eliminates the need to burn coal and firewood, which in turn cuts greenhouse gas emissions and improves the working conditions for employees, many of whom are women.
In contrast to traditional brick making that requires 28 days to produce a brick, the GBS process only takes five days without compromising quality.
InnoCSR’s business model is based on incentivizing brick manufacturers to adopt GBS as their primary production technology and purchase a continuous supply of the company’s proprietary brick stabilizer. In-house engineering teams are regularly sent to provide technical support and assistance to the manufacturers on the production processes and maintenance of machinery.
After establishing a presence in the Nepalese market, InnoCSR has started targeting other South Asian markets. ADB Ventures has provided InnoCSR with Seed financing to support the company’s regional expansion
