CO₂-neutral concrete roof tile production facility in Hungary successfully commissioned

With an investment of around €30 million, Wienerberger, a leading provider of ecological and innovative building and infrastructure solutions, has given a sustainable boost to industrial value creation and modern production technologies in Hungary. A state-of-the-art, fully automated, and CO₂-neutral production facility for large-format concrete roof tiles and accessories has successfully commenced operations at the Hejőpapi site. The plant sets new standards across Europe in the areas of digitalization, sustainability, and efficiency.

The new production facility is a central component of Wienerberger‘s value-creating growth strategy and also marks the company‘s entry into a new product segment on the Hungarian market. After the foundation stone was laid in April 2024, the plant went into operation on schedule at the end of 2025. The facility is currently in a gradual ramp-up phase, with production capacities being continuously expanded and the product portfolio gradually extended.

Industry 4.0 production in ongoing operation

At the heart of the plant is a 7,300 m² production hall, in which two fully automated production lines are installed. The plant is complemented by a modern concrete mixing plant and a digital outdoor storage area covering around one hectare, which already enables efficient, transparent, and flexible logistics during ongoing operations.

Production is largely fully automated – from concrete mixing, shaping, and hardening to packaging and product delivery. Robots handle the handling, packaging, and preparation of the roof tiles for shipment. Manual work steps are only used for selected accessory products that cannot be fully automated for technical reasons. Employees are primarily responsible for monitoring, controlling, and quality assurance tasks to ensure a stable and continuous production process.

Digital networking for continuous optimization

The plant fully meets the requirements of Industry 4.0. All relevant production data—including production speed, energy consumption, and plant status - is recorded, analyzed, and evaluated in real time. This digital networking enables ongoing optimization, supports stable ramp-up of production, and creates the basis for continuous improvement in product quality.

The proven digital external warehouse system from Békéscsaba has also been successfully implemented in Hejőpapi. It improves product traceability, increases inventory transparency, and significantly speeds up picking and shipping processes.

Sustainability in everyday operations

The consistent approach to sustainability shapes the ongoing operation of the plant. The concrete mixers clean themselves automatically at specified intervals, and the wash water is filtered and returned in its entirety to the production process. This means that no wastewater is produced.

The site is heated by electrically powered boilers, which heat both the building and the curing chambers. In combination with optimized material and energy flows, this enables a CO₂-neutral production process that follows the principles of the circular economy and conserves resources in the long term.

Expansion of the portfolio and international market orientation

The plant in Hejőpapi is Wienerberger‘s first concrete roof tile production facility in Hungary. Currently, large-format concrete roof tiles and accessories such as ridge, verge, and ventilation tiles are manufactured there. As the start-up process continues, the product range will be continuously expanded to include additional formats as well as new colors and system solutions.

The products are not exclusively intended for the Hungarian market. From the outset, the plant has been designed as an international supply location and, in addition to Hungary, also supplies neighboring countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The central geographical location of Hejőpapi, the efficient logistics infrastructure, and the digital external warehouse enable short delivery times and flexible market service across national borders.

The location thus strengthens Hungary‘s role as a regional production and export center within the Group. Already today, around 70 percent of ceramic roof tiles from Békéscsaba and more than three-quarters of lintels and beams from Kőszeg are sold on international markets. The new plant in Hejőpapi fits seamlessly into this export strategy and expands it to include the concrete roof tile segment.

Outlook

With production now underway in Hejőpapi, Wienerberger is combining sustainability, digitalization, and international scalability. The gradual expansion of capacity, the continuous expansion of the product portfolio, and cross-border deliveries to neighboring markets make the plant a key growth driver and at the same time strengthen Hungary‘s role as an important industrial hub in Europe.

The concrete roof tile portfolio was launched in four basic colors, with additional products to be added in the coming weeks.