Nelissen Brickworks was established in 1921 by Grandpa Nelissen on the Kesselt Tablelands. The location was ideal for manufacturing hand-moulded facing bricks because of its clay (loess) soil. For over 80 years, we have been quarrying the red, yellow, pink and grey clay in our own quarries. 
 

A second plant was constructed in Tienen in 1937. The soil in Tienen is similar to the clay in Kesselt, but Tienen offered the advantage of being more centrally located. However, since 1982, the production processes have once again only been based in Kesselt.

Very early on, the first field kiln was replaced by a moving fire kiln, which was in turn replaced in the sixties by a tunnel kiln.
The next investment in a tunnel dryer made it possible to dry the bricks in all weather conditions, a process that had been seasonal earlier on.
The first hand-mould equipment was designed in the late seventies to perfectly imitate all the procedures of the old brick makers. 

In 1988, Nelissen established a second unit with an advanced computer-monitored brick kiln of over 100 meters long. The expansion was linked to the establishment of Nelissen Industries N.V, the completion and computerisation of the drying chamber, and the implementation of new machinery.
1988 was a milestone in the production history of the company that doubled its annual capacity to approximately 50 million hand-moulded bricks.

 In 1990 an application was submitted for the Benor Label, which was granted in the same year for the highest class. The label was the just recognition for the high-quality products that we are still delivering today.
A new office unit was built in that same year, which serves as one large showroom, where every potential customer immediately feels at home.

However, the expansion was not complete yet. In 1993, this family-owned company in Limburg, one of the few in the brick industry that has been able to maintain its independence, accepted the challenge for the next big move. With its brand-new, fully automated and computer-driven kiln, dryers, composing machine and packing equipment, the company became an important player in the European market with an annual production of 100 million bricks.

On December 16, 1997, Nelissen Brickworks' quality assurance system was certified as being compliant with the NBN EN ISO 9002 standard.
 

 

Since the early nineties, the demand for Nelissen bricks has increased on the international markets, including the Netherlands, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden, … and even Japan. 

 

Its location, the perfect condition of its materials, its persistent quality awareness, the outstanding craftsmanship, a history of expertise, and the use of state-of-the-art technologies were and are guarantees for the company's success.