Britain’s two biggest brick makers have halted production during the nationwide shutdown.
Ibstock and Forterra are closing all their facilities during the crisis, but have assured investors they had access to enough cash to tide them over.
In a statement, Forterra said: “In light of the new Government guidance, and in order to protect our workforce, the board has decided to suspend all business operations as soon as possible until further notice.
“In some cases shutting down our facilities in a controlled and safe manner will take several days, and we will take all necessary measures to ensure our factories can efficiently resume production at the appropriate time.”
Some construction companies, including housebuilders Bellway and Persimmon, have announced they will be shutting sites by the end of the week as they don't believe staff can maintain safe distances from each other.
However, there are concerns that almost 400,000 construction workers could be at risk from coronavirus in England as the Government resists growing pressure to halt building work.
Official figures show that around 384,000 people across the country work in construction, including 92,000 in the development of building projects, 76,000 in the construction of commercial buildings and 216,000 in the construction of domestic buildings.
Forterra, which has access to £150 million in credit, said it was already allowing staff to work from home where possible.
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It has nine brick factories, making around 590 million bricks a year, and is in the process of building Europe’s biggest brick factory in Desford, Leicestershire, which will be capable of firing up to 180 million bricks a year when it opens in 2022.
Forterra has around a third of the 海角视频 brick market and a third of the aerated concrete block market, making it the second biggest brick maker in Britain behind the Ibstock group, based just up the road in north west Leicestershire.
Ibstock has said it was temporarily stopping production and putting on hold plans for a new £45 million factory in Walsall, which it only announced this month.
It said that was one of a number of things it was doing to protect its cashflow during what has become the biggest economic shutdown in living history.
It is also cancelling its final dividend for 2019, which will save £27 million.
In a trading statement Ibstock said its net debt of £85 million was near the lower end of its targeted range, while it had access to £215 million of credit and “good and constructive relationships” with its lending banks.
It said: “As a result of the current unprecedented levels of uncertainty, it is not possible for the group to provide an accurate assessment of trading for the current year, and, accordingly, all previous market guidance is now being withdrawn.
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“We will provide a further update when there is greater clarity on the trading environment and the specific impact of Covid-19.”
Its most recent accounts showed revenues were up 5 per cent to £409 million in 2019.
Its new Eclipse brick factory at its north west Leicestershire headquarters has more than doubled capacity there to 190 million bricks a year.
Ibstock Clay and Ibstock Brick have 19 manufacturing sites and 23 quarries located close to its plants, while Ibstock Concrete has 16 manufacturing plants.