Old Carolina Brick Co.

What Old Carolina Brick Co. does

Old Carolina Brick Company is a privately-held, family-owned manufacturer of genuine handmade brick, operating since 1968 from a single facility in Salisbury, North Carolina. The company is identified as the largest handmade brick producer in America, with a current production capacity of approximately 10 million brick and shapes per year. Its products are used primarily on high-end residential projects and historic restoration sites including Colonial Williamsburg, Mount Vernon, Monticello, Yale University, Old Salem, and Natchez National Cemetery, as well as premium commercial builds such as Hotel Fasano in Brazil and MidFirst Bank in Oklahoma City.

The company's core technology combines traditional colonial-era hand-molding with modern gas-fired tunnel kiln firing at approximately 2000 degrees F for roughly two days. Workers throw locally-sourced shale (processed through a modern pug-mill) into sand-coated molds, skim excess clay with piano wire, and mechanically turn bricks onto drying racks for 18-22 hours at approximately 300 degrees F before manual stacking and kiln firing. The hand manipulation creates natural surface air pockets that confer freeze-thaw durability, and all products meet ASTM C216 Grade SW specifications. A proprietary monorail packaging system enables tight cube packing. The product line includes standard handmade brick (available in named colors such as Savannah Grey, Charlestowne, Tryon, Georgetowne, Williamstowne, Park Ridge, Low Country, Bessemer Grey, Orleans, Seabrook, and Londontown), 3/4-inch thin brick cut from full fired brick, brick chips, fire pit kits, Roman Circle Pavers, hundreds of custom shapes, and custom color blends.

Old Carolina Brick generates revenue exclusively through wholesale hardware sales of these physical brick products. Pricing is quote-based and varies by color, shape, and quantity; the company does not publish prices and directs customers to contact distributors. All sales flow through an indirect go-to-market model: the company does not sell direct to end customers, instead relying on more than 100 independent distributor locations across all major US states and Canadian provinces, including anchor partners such as Acme Brick, Pine Hall Brick, General Shale, Riverside Brick, Mack Brick, and Brock White. Customer segments served include high-end residential, commercial/architectural, historic preservation, landscape/hardscape, and interior design/remodeling. The company is currently led by Co-Presidents Scott Frame and David Frame, who assumed joint leadership following the April 2012 death of founder Dudley P. Frame.

Name

Old Carolina Brick Co.

Legal name

Old Carolina® Brick Company

Website

https://handmadebrick.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Old Carolina Brick Co. is a family-owned Salisbury, NC manufacturer identified as the largest handmade brick producer in America, producing approximately 10 million brick and shapes per year for historic restorations, high-end residential, and premium commercial projects, sold exclusively through 100+ distributors across the US and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Handmade Brick Manufacturing

NAICS

Clay Building Material and Refractories Manufacturing (327120)

SIC

Structural Clay Products (3250)

akta.pro primary industry

Clay Bricks (Facing & Common) (IMADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Masonry Veneer Units (Thin Brick, Stone Veneer) (IMADABAI)

Keywords

• Handmade brick manufacturing
• Custom brick shapes
• Thin brick products
• Historic restoration brick
• Brick paving materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Salisbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Handmade Brick Sales: The company generates revenue primarily from manufacturing and selling genuine handmade brick. Products include standard face brick, pavers, and special shapes. All Old Carolina brick serve as both face brick and pavers.
2. Thin Brick Products: Sale of genuine handmade thin brick (3/4 inch thickness) cut from fired full brick. These are sold for interior and exterior applications where reduced weight and freight costs are beneficial.
3. Custom Shapes and Specialty Products: Revenue from custom-made brick shapes, special architectural elements, wall copings, step treads, and custom blends. The company maintains hundreds of handmade molds and can create unique designs for specific projects.
4. Brick Chips: Sale of brick chips, which are crushed or broken brick pieces used for landscaping, pathways, and decorative purposes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Old Carolina Brick Co. manufactures genuine handmade brick using a hybrid of traditional hand-molding techniques and modern gas-fired tunnel kiln technology at its Salisbury, NC facility. The product line includes standard face brick (which double as pavers), thin brick (3/4 inch cut from fired brick), custom shapes and molds, custom color blends, brick chips, fire pits, and Roman Circle pavers, with annual capacity of approximately 10 million brick and shapes.

Product overview

Old Carolina Brick Company produces handmade brick using a hybrid of traditional hand-craftsmanship and modern mechanization. The core product is genuine hand moulded brick fired in gas tunnel kilns, which serves as both face brick and pavers. The product line includes standard handmade brick in various named colors (Savannah Grey, Charlestowne, Tryon, Georgetowne, Williamstowne, Park Ridge, Low Country, Bessemer Grey, Orleans, Seabrook), thin brick (3/4 inch cut from full brick), brick chips, fire pit kits, and Roman Circle pavers. The company also offers extensive custom shape moulding and custom color blending services. All products are manufactured at their Salisbury, NC facility with approximately 10 million brick capacity per year.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Handmade Brick (Standard Face Brick and Pavers) Hand-moulded brick created in the colonial tradition, fired in gas-fired tunnel kilns at approximately 2000°F. Each brick features distinctive folds, finger marks, and surface irregularities. Conforms to ASTM C216 Grade SW for severe weather durability. Sold in colors including Savannah Grey, Charlestowne, Tryon, Georgetowne, Williamstowne, Park Ridge, Low Country, Bessemer Grey, Orleans, Seabrook, and Londontowne.
• Thin Brick Genuine handmade thin brick at 3/4 inch thickness cut from fired full brick, providing exact color matching with existing product colors and approximately 75% lower freight cost than full brick. Available with slabs and corners for interior and exterior applications.
• Custom Shapes and Architectural Brick Specially crafted brick shapes including bullnose rowlocks, wall copings, step treads, sills, jack arches, and decorative patterns. Made using hundreds of handmade molds maintained by the company, enabling creation of unique designs for specific architectural specifications.
• Custom Blends Custom color blending services allowing combinations of different brick colors and clinkers (such as the 'Garden Path Blend') to create unique aesthetics tailored to specific projects including historic restoration matching.
• Brick Chips Crushed or broken brick pieces made from Old Carolina handmade brick, sold for landscaping, pathways, and decorative purposes.
• Fire Pits Interlocking handmade brick fire pit pieces that can be assembled without glue and moved if needed. Available in all brick colors.
• Roman Circle Pavers Circular paving pattern using approximately 6 different hand-moulded brick shapes that form hard-surfaced Roman Circles approximately 22 feet in diameter. Available in any diameter.

Quantifiable outcome

• Freeze-thaw durability through natural air pockets that prevent cracking
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Orthodox MasonryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrthodox Masonry, a design/build firm specializing in structural masonry and timber frame construction, visited Old Carolina Brick facilities and wrote a blog post about the company's craftsmanship and mechanization balance. This represents a mutual relationship where both companies promote each other's work in the masonry industry.
• Acme BrickcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor brick distributor with locations across multiple southern and southwestern states including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Oklahoma. One of the largest distribution partners representing Old Carolina Brick products.
• Pine Hall BrickcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distributor covering North Carolina markets with multiple locations in Charlotte, Greensboro, Madison, and Winston-Salem.
• General ShalecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distributor covering South Carolina markets in Charleston and Greenville, as well as Tennessee locations.
• Riverside BrickcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVirginia-based distributor covering multiple locations including Richmond, Williamsburg, Chesapeake, and Fredericksburg areas. Long-term partner with positive testimonials about the relationship.
• Mack Brick Co.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConnecticut-based distributor covering New England markets. Long-term distributor relationship spanning over three decades.
• Tom Fisher Custom Brick & Supply Co.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-term distributor partner since 1961, one of the earliest distributors representing Old Carolina Brick products.
• The Exum CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSouth Carolina distributor covering the Midlands and surrounding areas for over 30 years.
• Bob TimberlakeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArtist who commissioned custom brick for his gallery in Lexington, NC. The collaboration created the 'Garden Path Blend' and various custom designs including the Whig's Defeat pattern and decorative elements.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Boral Limited (Boral Bricks): Large, multi-product Australian building materials group with a substantial North American clay brick operation (formerly Merry Brothers where David Frame trained). They overlap on structural clay brick but operate at far greater scale and breadth than Old Carolina's handmade specialty.
• General Shale Brick: Established U.S. brick and masonry solutions manufacturer serving residential and commercial markets across the Southeast. A current Old Carolina distributor; competes in similar specifications but with a much broader product portfolio including machine-made brick and concrete masonry.

Direct peers

• Acme Brick Company: One of the largest U.S. brick producers and a major Old Carolina distributor across the South/Southwest. Acme sells both machine-made and specialty brick, directly competing in the architectural/specification grade market where Old Carolina operates.
• Belden Brick Company: Family-owned U.S. brick maker founded 1885, producing a wide range of face brick including bespoke textures and colors. Highly comparable on heritage positioning, custom-blend capabilities, and architectural/restoration-grade product mix.
• Henry Brick Company: Family-owned Alabama-based brick maker founded 1963 producing a range of face brick, including custom blends, in the southeastern U.S. Overlaps with Old Carolina on regional supply, premium face brick, and customer base of architects/builders.
• Endicott Clay Products: Nebraska-based structural clay brick and thin brick maker founded 1920. Comparable as a long-tenured U.S. clay brick manufacturer with premium face brick and thin brick SKUs (especially for commercial interiors and veneers), directly overlapping Old Carolina's thin brick offering.

Regional players

• Pine Hall Brick Company: Family-owned North Carolina brick producer (with N.C. plants) and a current Old Carolina distributor across Charlotte, Greensboro, Madison, and Winston-Salem. Comparable in regional/Southeast focus but their portfolio centers on extruded residential brick rather than handmade.
• Riverside Brick & Construction Products: Virginia-based brick distributor and masonry supplier covering Richmond, Williamsburg, Chesapeake and Fredericksburg. Serves the historic Virginia corridor — a substantial restoration market — and competes as an alternative brick option in the same projects where Old Carolina is specified.
• Mutual Materials: Pacific Northwest masonry producer offering brick, block and stone in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Comparable as a regional brick and masonry products vendor, though it focuses on the Pacific Northwest where Old Carolina has limited direct footprint.
• Columbus Brick Company: Mississippi-based clay brick producer serving the Gulf Coast and Mid-South. Comparable as a heritage U.S. brick manufacturer with a regional distributor footprint and overlap in premium face brick for residential and commercial buildings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OldCarolina
• Facebookfacebook.com/Handmade.Brick
• Instagraminstagram.com/oldcarolinahandmadebrick
• Pinterestpinterest.com/handmadebrick/old-carolina-handmade-brick

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Old Carolina Brick Co.