"István" brickworks ltd
The "István" Brickworks Joint Stock Company was founded by the Belvárosi Takarékpénztár Joint Stock Company in 1892, when it took over the already existing brickworks in Banaharco. Ferenc Székely became chairman of the company in 1902, a position he held until 1926. Due to the varying results of production and the difficulties following the First World War, the company was forced to merge with the Újlak Brick and Lime Burning Company in that year.
The raw material for bricks as a finished building product is clay, mined from the surface of the earth. The raw material, first kneaded with water and then pressed, was produced by firing, during which the raw bricks lost their moisture and became solid.
Brick production in factories boomed in the second to third decade after the end of the Second World War. Favourable economic conditions led to a significant building boom in the Hungarian capital and in larger cities. The general economic and social development generated construction projects, which led to the building of brickworks to meet the ever-increasing demand for raw materials.
The "István" Brickworks Joint-Stock Company was founded in 1892 by the Belvárosi Takarékpénztár Joint-Stock Company with a share capital of 350 thousand HUF, by taking over the brickworks of Károly Roheim and his son, located in Basaharcon near Budapest, according to a contract dated 31 December 1892. The latter had been erected by the Pauline monks in the 18th century for the construction of the Pauline monastery.
The factory, owned by Károly Roheim, started in 1890, employing mainly Czech workers from the Highlands. At the time the joint-stock company was founded, the brickworks produced 7-8 million bricks a year. In the first year of its existence, the company managed to increase this quantity to between 12 and 25 million bricks, producing enamel bricks and production of production bricks, as well as different types and colours of bricks (wood bricks, dry-pressed bricks, pillar bricks, enamel bricks).
The progress made with the creation of the new company is confirmed by the year-on-year increase in the number of bricks produced each year. This is linked to the fact that the company had good contacts with the major construction sites, giving it a significant advantage as a supplier. This was facilitated by the relatively easy access to the capital by water, which allowed the company to deliver raw materials to the factory near Budapest on its own vessels at a low cost compared to the production costs.
The number of bricks produced each year remained relatively constant until 1900, when production fell. In 1901, 99 million bricks were produced, in 1902 only 13.86 million. This may be linked to the general economic recession which affected the brick industry between 1900 and 1905: the press reported that, compared with the previous period, from 1903 onwards it was expected that the products would again be in greater demand, and that the brick industry would 'revive'.
Ferenc Székely, court councillor and president of the Belvárosi Savings Bank, took over the management of the company in 1902. The negative trend was only reversed around 1905. In 1906, in addition to the Basaharc plant in Esztergom County, the company operated quarries in Ipolydamasdon, Márianosztrán, Pilismaróton, Visegrád and Kisorossi. This situation changed by the end of the first decade of the century, when the joint stock company, in addition to its production plant, operated quarry plants in Pilismaró and Esztergom.
After 1910, which was also a peak year in terms of production and revenue, the trend was again negative. In 1914, the Hungarian newspaper Magyarország reported that in 1913 not only the "István" Brickworks Joint Stock Company, but almost all brickworks were loss-making. The war further aggravated the situation, as the number of bricks produced decreased not only compared to the 15 years before the war, but also compared to the first half of the 1910s. Whereas in 1911 the volume of wood bricks and pressed bricks exceeded 16 million, in 1914-1915 the figure was just over 10 million. The company's share price also changed in this period.
In 1920, the company became a subsidiary of the Anglo-Hungarian Bank, while in 1923 it opened a new production plant in Pestszentlőrince, in addition to the former Basaharc plant. This gave it some advantages, apart from the fact that in 1915 it received state subsidies from the Minister of Trade for the Pilismaróti factory for the production of faience wall tiles until 1922. While the former was a brickworks, the latter operated as a brick and earthenware factory after the decline following the years of the First World War. In addition to the bricks and roof tiles produced during this period, the company also manufactured refractory clay tiles. It is also worth noting that the company became a shareholder in the foundation of the Transdanubian Brick Selling Company, but at the same time it became a shareholder in the Újlak Brick and Lime Burning Company.
This development was only temporary, however, as the company was already in economic difficulties. At the general meetings of the Újlak Brick and Lime Kiln Joint Stock Company and the István Brickworks Joint Stock Company held on 4 October 1926, they agreed to merge, so that the István Brickworks Joint Stock Company was merged into the Újlak Brick and Lime Kiln Joint Stock Company. According to the press, the merger was a mere formality, as the company had been owned by the Újlaki Brick- und Mészbrennető Részvénytársaság since 1920.
Sources
Miksa Ladányi (ed.): Monograph of Hungarian towns 21. Kispest, Pestszentlőrinc, Pestszentimre. Budapest, 1937. 231.
Hungarian Financial Compass 1917-1926.
Great Hungarian Compass 1893-1916.
Press material 1893-1924.
János Rayman: Esztergom pots. Historical ceramic pictures from Esztergom. Pécs, 2017. 29-32.
Founded in 1892
Date of cessation: 1926
Founders: Belvárosi Takarékpénztár Részvénytársaság
Securities issued:
| "István" brickworks joint-stock company |
Decisive leaders:
1893-1897 | Vilmos Schulcz |
1898-1926 | Ferenc Székely |
Main activity: brick manufacturing and quarry stone production
Main products are not set
Seats are not configured
Locations are not set
Main milestones are not set
Author: Róbert Szabó
Founded in 1892
Founders: Belvárosi Takarékpénztár Részvénytársaság
Decisive leaders:
1893-1897 | Vilmos Schulcz |
1898-1926 | Ferenc Székely |
Main activity: brick manufacturing and quarry stone production
Main products are not set
Seats are not configured
Locations are not set
Main milestones are not set
Author: Róbert Szabó
"István" brickworks ltd
The "István" Brickworks Joint Stock Company was founded by the Belvárosi Takarékpénztár Joint Stock Company in 1892, when it took over the already existing brickworks in Banaharco. Ferenc Székely became chairman of the company in 1902, a position he held until 1926. Due to the varying results of production and the difficulties following the First World War, the company was forced to merge with the Újlak Brick and Lime Burning Company in that year.
The raw material for bricks as a finished building product is clay, mined from the surface of the earth. The raw material, first kneaded with water and then pressed, was produced by firing, during which the raw bricks lost their moisture and became solid.
Brick production in factories boomed in the second to third decade after the end of the Second World War. Favourable economic conditions led to a significant building boom in the Hungarian capital and in larger cities. The general economic and social development generated construction projects, which led to the building of brickworks to meet the ever-increasing demand for raw materials.
The "István" Brickworks Joint-Stock Company was founded in 1892 by the Belvárosi Takarékpénztár Joint-Stock Company with a share capital of 350 thousand HUF, by taking over the brickworks of Károly Roheim and his son, located in Basaharcon near Budapest, according to a contract dated 31 December 1892. The latter had been erected by the Pauline monks in the 18th century for the construction of the Pauline monastery.
The factory, owned by Károly Roheim, started in 1890, employing mainly Czech workers from the Highlands. At the time the joint-stock company was founded, the brickworks produced 7-8 million bricks a year. In the first year of its existence, the company managed to increase this quantity to between 12 and 25 million bricks, producing enamel bricks and production of production bricks, as well as different types and colours of bricks (wood bricks, dry-pressed bricks, pillar bricks, enamel bricks).
The progress made with the creation of the new company is confirmed by the year-on-year increase in the number of bricks produced each year. This is linked to the fact that the company had good contacts with the major construction sites, giving it a significant advantage as a supplier. This was facilitated by the relatively easy access to the capital by water, which allowed the company to deliver raw materials to the factory near Budapest on its own vessels at a low cost compared to the production costs.
The number of bricks produced each year remained relatively constant until 1900, when production fell. In 1901, 99 million bricks were produced, in 1902 only 13.86 million. This may be linked to the general economic recession which affected the brick industry between 1900 and 1905: the press reported that, compared with the previous period, from 1903 onwards it was expected that the products would again be in greater demand, and that the brick industry would 'revive'.
Ferenc Székely, court councillor and president of the Belvárosi Savings Bank, took over the management of the company in 1902. The negative trend was only reversed around 1905. In 1906, in addition to the Basaharc plant in Esztergom County, the company operated quarries in Ipolydamasdon, Márianosztrán, Pilismaróton, Visegrád and Kisorossi. This situation changed by the end of the first decade of the century, when the joint stock company, in addition to its production plant, operated quarry plants in Pilismaró and Esztergom.
After 1910, which was also a peak year in terms of production and revenue, the trend was again negative. In 1914, the Hungarian newspaper Magyarország reported that in 1913 not only the "István" Brickworks Joint Stock Company, but almost all brickworks were loss-making. The war further aggravated the situation, as the number of bricks produced decreased not only compared to the 15 years before the war, but also compared to the first half of the 1910s. Whereas in 1911 the volume of wood bricks and pressed bricks exceeded 16 million, in 1914-1915 the figure was just over 10 million. The company's share price also changed in this period.
In 1920, the company became a subsidiary of the Anglo-Hungarian Bank, while in 1923 it opened a new production plant in Pestszentlőrince, in addition to the former Basaharc plant. This gave it some advantages, apart from the fact that in 1915 it received state subsidies from the Minister of Trade for the Pilismaróti factory for the production of faience wall tiles until 1922. While the former was a brickworks, the latter operated as a brick and earthenware factory after the decline following the years of the First World War. In addition to the bricks and roof tiles produced during this period, the company also manufactured refractory clay tiles. It is also worth noting that the company became a shareholder in the foundation of the Transdanubian Brick Selling Company, but at the same time it became a shareholder in the Újlak Brick and Lime Burning Company.
This development was only temporary, however, as the company was already in economic difficulties. At the general meetings of the Újlak Brick and Lime Kiln Joint Stock Company and the István Brickworks Joint Stock Company held on 4 October 1926, they agreed to merge, so that the István Brickworks Joint Stock Company was merged into the Újlak Brick and Lime Kiln Joint Stock Company. According to the press, the merger was a mere formality, as the company had been owned by the Újlaki Brick- und Mészbrennető Részvénytársaság since 1920.
Sources
Miksa Ladányi (ed.): Monograph of Hungarian towns 21. Kispest, Pestszentlőrinc, Pestszentimre. Budapest, 1937. 231.
Hungarian Financial Compass 1917-1926.
Great Hungarian Compass 1893-1916.
Press material 1893-1924.
János Rayman: Esztergom pots. Historical ceramic pictures from Esztergom. Pécs, 2017. 29-32.