General Shale

What General Shale does

General Shale Brick, Inc., founded in 1928 and headquartered in Johnson City, Tennessee, is the largest producer of clay brick in the United States and operates as the North American subsidiary of Wienerberger AG, the world's largest brick manufacturer. The company manufactures a full portfolio of clay brick, thin masonry, pavers, concrete block, stucco and EIFS, mortar, and protective treatments, organized under multiple regional sub-brands including Arriscraft, Watsontown Brick, Michigan Brick, Columbus Brick, Red River Brick, Summitville, and Meridian Brick (the last acquired from Boral and Lone Star Funds in October 2021). Production runs from regional plants in Moncure (NC), Roanoke (VA), Terre Haute (IN), Denver (CO), Watsontown (PA), and Canada, supporting architectural series such as the Moncure, Roanoke, and Terre Haute collections plus specialty lines like Old Brick Originals and the Elements Series. Products are designed for both residential and commercial construction applications, including precast and tilt-up panels.

The company serves three primary customer segments — residential homeowners, architects and designers, and builders and contractors — and reaches them primarily through an authorized distributor network spanning the U.S. and Canada, supplemented by a B2B online ordering portal (shop.generalshale.com), showrooms, and direct sales representatives. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; customers are routed through local distributors. GTM relies on a comprehensive digital presence (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Houzz, Pinterest, YouTube, blog, email newsletter) plus tools such as a Project Visualizer and Brick Wall Cost Calculator aimed at supporting specification decisions. Revenue is generated predominantly through one-time product sales of manufactured masonry units, with no software-as-a-service or recurring revenue model.

General Shale's competitive position rests on scale (multi-plant manufacturing across North America), brand breadth (250+ design options across multiple sub-brands), and parent-company support from Wienerberger AG, which provides capital, procurement, and R&D leverage. Revenue and headcount trends are not publicly disclosed, but the consolidated post-Meridian footprint and 2026 product launch indicate ongoing investment in capacity and product expansion.

Name

General Shale

Legal name

General Shale Brick, Inc.

Website

https://generalshale.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1928

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

General Shale is America's largest clay brick manufacturer, producing brick, thin masonry, pavers, and outdoor living products across multiple regional plants for residential, commercial, and architectural customers via a North American distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Masonry and Building Materials

NAICS

Concrete Block and Brick Manufacturing (327331), Concrete Pipe, Brick, and Block Manufacturing (32733)

SIC

Structural Clay Products (3250), Concrete Products, Except Block & Brick (3272), Cut Stone & Stone Products (3281)

akta.pro primary industry

Pavers & Permeable Paving Blocks (Clay/Concrete) (IMADABAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mortar, Grout & Masonry Cements (IMADABAL)

Keywords

• Clay brick manufacturing
• Masonry building products
• Thin brick veneer
• Concrete block products
• Outdoor living solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Tennessee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Clay Brick and Building Materials Sales: General Shale generates revenue through the manufacturing and sale of clay brick products, thin masonry, pavers, and outdoor living solutions to residential and commercial customers via distributors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

General Shale manufactures and sells clay brick products, thin masonry, clay and concrete pavers, and outdoor living solutions (retaining walls, landscape stone, fireplaces) for residential and commercial construction. The company operates multiple regional Architectural Series product lines and distributes across North America through a network of authorized dealers and direct ordering portals.

Product overview

General Shale is a brick and masonry products company offering a comprehensive portfolio of clay brick, thin masonry, pavers, and outdoor living solutions. The core product lines include Architectural Products (full-size brick for commercial and residential use), Thin Brick products (including Old Brick Originals with tumbled finishes, Elements Series, and Providence Series), and Pavers (clay and concrete). The company also offers supplementary products including Stucco + EIFS, Mortar, ProGuard protective treatments, and Concrete Block. Outdoor Living Solutions encompass Watsontown Clay Pavers, Versa-Lok retaining wall systems, Rockwood landscape products, and ISOKERN fireplaces. Regional sub-brands include Watsontown Brick (Pennsylvania), Arriscraft (Canada), and Summitville (glazed thin brick). Architectural Series are produced at three manufacturing plants: Moncure (North Carolina), Roanoke (Virginia), and Terre Haute (Indiana). The company provides digital tools including a Project Visualizer and Brick Wall Cost Calculator. As North America's largest brick manufacturer and a subsidiary of Wienerberger AG, General Shale distributes through distributors and operates showrooms across the United States and Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• General Shale Brick: Premium brick product lines including Moncure, Roanoke, and Terre Haute Architectural Series
• Arriscraft
• Watsontown Brick
• Michigan Brick
• Columbus Brick
• Red River Brick
• Summitville
• Meridian Brick

Products and services

• Architectural Products (Full-Size Clay Brick) Full-size clay brick products designed for commercial and residential architectural projects, including standard and custom dimensions.
• Thin Brick Genuine fired clay thin brick products for interior and exterior applications, designed to meet aesthetic demands in commercial or residential settings.
• Old Brick Originals Thin brick line featuring a unique tumbled finish that creates a timeless appearance, harmonizing with historic or industrial buildings or adding design impact to modern exteriors.
• Elements Series Thin brick collection offering contemporary design options for modern architectural applications.
• Legacy Meridian Products Brick products from the Meridian brand acquired from Boral and Lone Star Funds in 2021.
• Pavers Clay and concrete hardscape products including Watsontown Brick Clay Pavers for outdoor living and landscaping applications.
• Outdoor Living Solutions Comprehensive outdoor products including Watsontown Clay Pavers, Weathered Wall/Caps/Landscaping Stone, Versa-Lok retaining wall systems, Rockwood Premier landscape products, fireplaces, and outdoor living kits.
• Stucco + EIFS Stucco and Exterior Insulation and Finish System products for exterior wall applications.
• Mortar Mortar products for masonry installation applications.
• Concrete Block Concrete masonry unit products for construction applications.
• Precast Applications Brick Clay thin bricks specifically designed for precast and tilt-up concrete panel applications, produced at the Denver, Colorado manufacturing plant.
• Moncure Architectural Series Clay brick collection produced at the Moncure, North Carolina plant, including Full Range Wirecut 6024, Midnight Mist, Red Range Smooth, and Red Range Wirecut 6024.
• Roanoke Architectural Series Clay brick collection produced at the Roanoke, Virginia plant, including Dutch Chocolate, Full Range Wirecut, Raleigh Court, Red Centennial, and Red Range Wirecut.
• Terre Haute Architectural Series Clay brick collection produced at the Terre Haute, Indiana plant, including Domino, Steel, Valor, Allendale Hill, Garnet, and Saddle varieties with iron spot options.
• Watsontown Brick Clay brick and paver products from the Watsontown, Pennsylvania facility.
• Arriscraft Building material products including natural edge technology and tumbled Georgia brick, manufactured in Canada.
• Summitville Glazed Thin Brick Glazed thin brick products including Driftvue, featuring Summitglaze technology for bold design applications.
• Versa-Lok Retaining Wall Systems Retaining wall and hardscape system products including Mosaic and Square Foot unit options.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• BoralmajorOthers · 6 October 2021General Shale completed the acquisition of Meridian Brick from Boral and Lone Star Funds. The U.S. Department of Justice approved the transaction with conditions. This acquisition expanded General Shale's brick manufacturing footprint in North America.
• Lone Star FundsmajorOthers · 6 October 2021General Shale completed the acquisition of Meridian Brick from Boral and Lone Star Funds. This private equity firm was a co-seller of the Meridian Brick business.
• Wienerberger AGcoreOthersGeneral Shale is a North American subsidiary of Wienerberger AG, a global leader in brick and paver manufacturing. Wienerberger operates additional brands in North America including Arriscraft, Canada Brick, Columbus Brick, Michigan Brick, Red River Brick, Summitville, and Watsontown Brick.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• James Hardie Industries: James Hardie is the global leader in fiber cement siding and a major competing cladding material to brick in residential exteriors. Comparable as a broad building products incumbent competing for the same exterior cladding specification.
• Wienerberger AG: Wienerberger AG is the world's largest brick manufacturer and General Shale's parent company, with a broader global portfolio across Europe, India, and North America. Comparable as the global incumbent that defines scale economics and product breadth in the category.
• Brickworks Limited: Brickworks Limited is an Australian-listed building products group with significant U.S. brick operations (Glen-Gery, Austral Bricks). Comparable as a publicly-traded brick-focused conglomerate pursuing cross-border consolidation in North American clay brick.
• Oldcastle APG (CRH): Oldcastle APG (CRH plc) is a major North American manufacturer of masonry, hardscape, and concrete building products including concrete block and pavers. Comparable as a broad building products incumbent with overlapping masonry and outdoor living product lines.

Direct peers

• Palmetto Brick: Palmetto Brick is a South Carolina-based clay brick manufacturer producing architectural and residential brick for Southeast U.S. markets. Comparable as a regional clay brick manufacturer with similar product focus on architectural and residential applications.
• Acme Brick Company: Acme Brick is a large U.S. clay brick manufacturer (subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway), producing structural brick, thin brick, and outdoor living products for residential and commercial markets — directly comparable in product mix, customer segments, and North American footprint.
• Mutual Materials: Mutual Materials is a Pacific Northwest-based manufacturer of clay brick, concrete masonry, and hardscape products serving residential and commercial markets. Comparable as a regional U.S. brick and masonry manufacturer with overlapping product portfolio and distribution model.
• Glen-Gery: Glen-Gery (a Brickworks Limited subsidiary) is a major North American brick manufacturer offering full-size brick, thin brick, and masonry products through distributor networks — directly comparable in clay brick manufacturing, dealer channels, and architectural product portfolio.

Regional players

• Cherokee Brick & Tile: Cherokee Brick & Tile is a U.S. clay brick manufacturer based in Georgia, producing a range of architectural and residential brick products. Comparable as an established Southeast U.S. brick peer with focus on clay-fired structural brick.

Others

• Boral Limited: Boral was the prior owner of Meridian Brick, the asset General Shale acquired in 2021. Related as the divesting party in the defining M&A event that shaped General Shale's current scale and competitive position.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/generalshale
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GeneralShaleBrick
• Facebookfacebook.com/generalshale
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/general-shale
• Instagraminstagram.com/generalshale
• Pinterestpinterest.com/generalshale

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about General Shale