What Keymer Tiles Ltd. does

Keymer Tiles Ltd. is a UK-based manufacturer of premium handmade clay roof tiles founded in 1588 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of wienerberger since 2014. The company produces tiles and fittings at two manufacturing facilities: Ewhurst in Surrey (Wealden Clay) and Broomfleet in East Yorkshire (Alluvial Clay from the River Humber), drawing on raw-material access that has supported continuous tile production for over four centuries. Its product portfolio spans six core tile ranges — Peg, Traditional, Shire, Goxhill, Ornamentals and Fittings — plus Bespoke and Finials lines, supported by four service divisions (Keymer Contemporary, Keymer Bespoke, Keymer Heritage, Keymer Technical) that provide 3D CAD design support, specification writing, take-off services and bespoke replication of historical roof profiles.

The core technology is traditional handmaking of clay tiles, augmented by computer-controlled kilns installed in 1981 to reduce fuel consumption while preserving handcraft skills. Notable proprietary capabilities include access to Wealden Clay (producing unique warm red colours native to South East England), dual-source clay inputs for authentic historical replication, engobe glaze application for Victorian tile matching, and bespoke 3D CAD modelling combined with multi-generational product knowledge.

The business model combines hardware sales of premium handmade tiles with professional services revenue from bespoke manufacturing, heritage replication and technical specification support. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, supported by a free sample service for architects and specifiers. Distribution operates through three channels: direct specification sales via an in-house technical team targeting architects and specifiers, the parent wienerberger's UK distribution network, and Century International Imports Inc. for North American export. The customer base spans four primary segments — Heritage and Conservation Projects (National Trust, Historic England, English Heritage, listed-property owners), Contemporary Architecture (premium residential and statement new builds), Royal and Prestigious Buildings, and Private Homeowners — with the specification-led GTM motion targeting architects through CPD courses, technical content and project-level collaboration.

Name

Keymer Tiles Ltd.

Legal name

Keymer Tiles Ltd.

Website

https://keymer.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Keymer Tiles Ltd. is a UK manufacturer of premium handmade clay roof tiles, founded in 1588 and wholly owned by wienerberger since 2014, serving heritage conservation, contemporary architecture, and prestige building projects via specification-led sales to architects and specifiers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clay Roof Tiles

NAICS

Pottery, Ceramics, and Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing (327110), Pottery, Ceramics, and Plumbing Fixture Manufacturing (32711)

SIC

Structural Clay Products (3250)

akta.pro primary industry

Clay & Concrete Roof Tiles (IMADAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tile & Stone Surface Restoration (Polishing, Honing, Refinishing) (HSAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Handmade clay roof tiles
• Heritage roof restoration
• Premium roof tiles
• Clay tile manufacturing
• Bespoke roof fittings

Headquarters

HQ city

Burgess Hill

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Premium Handmade Clay Roof Tiles: Core revenue from manufacturing and selling premium handmade clay roof tiles in various ranges (Peg, Traditional, Shire, Goxhill) and ornamental fittings. Tiles are sold to architects, specifiers, housebuilders, and roofing contractors for heritage restoration and contemporary building projects.
2. Bespoke Tile Manufacturing: Custom bespoke tile manufacturing for heritage projects requiring authentic replication of historical roof tiles and fittings. Service includes design consultation, mock-up production, and exact specification matching.
3. Heritage Services: Technical specification services, site surveys, product assessment, and technical documentation for heritage and conservation projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Keymer Tiles Ltd. manufactures premium handmade British clay roof tiles and fittings for heritage conservation and contemporary architecture. Operating since 1588, the company extracts and processes Wealden Clay in Surrey and Alluvial Clay in East Yorkshire to produce tile ranges including Peg, Traditional, Shire, and Goxhill, along with ornamental tiles, ridge and hip fittings, decorative finials, and bespoke replication services for listed buildings and modern architectural projects.

Product overview

Keymer Tiles Ltd. is a manufacturer of premium handmade British clay roof tiles founded in 1588, now owned by wienerberger. The company operates as a unified product portfolio centred on handmade clay roof tiles, encompassing six core tile ranges (Peg, Traditional, Shire, Goxhill, Ornamentals, and Fittings) plus Bespoke and Finials offerings, supported by three specialised service divisions (Keymer Contemporary, Keymer Heritage, and Keymer Bespoke). The product architecture combines standard product ranges available in multiple colours and finishes with custom manufacturing capabilities for heritage restoration and contemporary architectural projects. Keymer produces tiles at two UK factories using Wealden Clay (Ewhurst, Surrey) and Alluvial Clay (Broomfleet, East Yorkshire), offering products for both new-build and historic building restoration applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Keymer Contemporary: Service focused on contemporary and modern buildings for architects and housebuilders with ambitious housing design projects.
• Keymer Bespoke
• Keymer Heritage
• Keymer Technical

Products and services

• Peg Tiles Premium handmade clay peg tiles crafted using rich Wealden Clay, including Kent Peg Antique and County Peg Weathered variants, for traditional roofing on heritage restorations and contemporary new builds.
• Traditional Tiles Handmade British clay plain tiles in Wealden Clay with natural colour variations (Antique, Elizabethan, Wealden Red), revered by conservation authorities for historic buildings and listed properties, designed to age beautifully over time.
• Shire Tiles Premium handmade clay roof tiles offering a serious alternative to traditional style, produced in distinctive colours (Priory, Heritage, Downs Red) with lifelong durability and natural weathering.
• Goxhill Tiles Hand-finished clay tiles with a distinct sanded appearance and upgraded nail holes, nibs and sand adhesion, made from Alluvial clay from the River Humber in colours including Autumn Brown, Dark Chestnut, Dark Red, and Restoration Blend.
• Ornamental Tiles Decorative handmade clay roof tiles including Club, Diamond, Arrowhead, Bullnose, and Fishtail profiles for distinctive roof detailing and wall cladding, available across Keymer and Goxhill colour ranges.
• Roof Fittings Premium handmade clay roof fittings including Ridge Tiles, Hip Tiles, Valley Tiles, and Hogback tiles, manufactured in the largest range of premium handmade clay fittings using Wealden clay.
• Roof Finials Decorative handmade clay roof finials including traditional terracotta finials, ball finials, ridge tiles, gargoyles, imps and wyvern, individually handmade using Wealden clay.
• Bespoke Tiles Custom-designed and manufactured roof tiles and fittings for heritage projects, creating authentic copies of historic tiles using the same raw materials and methods to blend with existing buildings.
• Keymer Contemporary Service Service enabling architects and housebuilders with ambitious housing design to achieve their vision for statement buildings, using 3D CAD design models combined with historical product development knowledge.
• Keymer Heritage Service Specialised design and manufacturing service creating bespoke roofing products for conservation and restoration projects, replicating historical roof profiles no longer mass manufactured.
• Keymer Bespoke Service Service specialising in replication and manufacture of historical and architecturally important roof tiles, ornamental fittings and ridges for listed buildings.
• Keymer Technical Service Technical support service providing product selection advice, performance guidance, take-off service, specification-writing, bespoke project design support, and problem-solving for roofing projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tiles last 80-100 years in right conditions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers13 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• WienerbergercoreOthers · 1 January 2014Wienerberger acquired Keymer in 2014. Keymer operates from wienerberger's factory in Ewhurst, Surrey and benefits from being part of the leading supplier of wall, roof and landscaping innovations. Wienerberger is the parent company and provides distribution network and manufacturing infrastructure.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• lbstock Brick (Ibstock): UK's largest brick and clay products manufacturer; produces clay roof tiles and heritage-facing products via its Bison Roofing range. Comparable clay-processing and heritage specification story, but at significantly larger scale.
• Sandtoft (BMI Group / Roofline Group): One of the UK's largest roof tile manufacturers offering clay and concrete tiles including heritage and handmade ranges (e.g., 20/20, Rivius). Competes with Keymer for specification on heritage and premium residential projects, but at much larger scale and broader product breadth.
• Redland (BMI Group): Established UK clay and concrete tile brand with a heritage plain-tile range that competes head-to-head with Keymer on Conservation Officer specifications for listed-building projects.
• Marley (now part of Wienerberger-owned UK roofing portfolio): Major UK roof tile manufacturer (formerly Marley Eternit) now part of the wienerberger-owned Roofline Group alongside Keymer. Same parent group but broader machine-made concrete and clay range; relevant as a sibling/sister-entity rather than active competitor, useful as a comparable for distribution and specification reach.
• BMI Group (parent of Redland, Icopal, etc.): UK-international roofing conglomerate owning Redland (clay/concrete roof tiles) and heritage-oriented brands. Competes with Keymer in specification bids for heritage and premium residential projects; provides scale, R&D and distribution benchmark.

Direct peers

• Dreadnought Tiles: UK handmade clay roof tile manufacturer with a similarly long heritage (est. ~1805) producing plain, peg and ornamental tiles for heritage and restoration projects. Closest direct competitor to Keymer's core handmade clay offering in the UK specifier channel.
• Craven Dunnill Bridgnorth: Specialist UK manufacturer of heritage and contemporary clay roof tiles, fittings and finials. Direct peer in the heritage/conservation tile segment with comparable bespoke capability.
• Tudor Roof Tile Co. UK handmade clay roof tile and peg tile manufacturer targeting heritage and bespoke projects. Direct niche competitor to Keymer's handmade heritage tile offering.

Regional players

• Tejas Borja: Spanish/European handmade clay roof tile producer with strong heritage restoration heritage in Mediterranean markets. Comparable on traditional clay manufacturing and bespoke heritage replication, though primarily serving Southern Europe rather than the UK.

Emerging players

• Ludowici Roof Tiles: US-based heritage clay roof tile manufacturer producing handmade-style tiles for institutional and high-end residential buildings. Cross-Atlantic comparable on handmade heritage positioning and specification-driven sales motion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/keymerheritagetiles
• Pinterestpinterest.com/keymer
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KeymerTiles
• Xx.com/Keymer1588

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 Keymer Tiles Ltd.