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The Heavy Clay Technology Association (HCTa) North Staffordshire branch was recently given a behind-the-scenes look at Marley’s Keele Factory, a hub of innovation in clay tile manufacturing since 1924. Organised by the Institute of Quarrying and the HCTa, the tour offered insight into the intricate, high-tech processes behind one of the UK’s most respected tile producers.
Attendees, including representatives from Knutton and Lucideon, were given a comprehensive tour of the site’s three main production plants. Marley, a well-established company since 1924, manufactures a wide range of clay and concrete tiles in various shapes and sizes. The Keele site specifically focuses on clay tile production, utilising a fully mechanised production line.
The manufacturing process begins with thoroughly mixing quarried clay with water. This breaks the clay down to its base mineral components and fills the pore spaces with water, resulting in a homogenous and ductile material. The prepared clay is then fed through an extruder to form tiles of consistent thickness. Similar to brick production, the tiles are sandblasted to aid handling, then dried over a 24-hour period to solidify them.
Next, a robotic "dehacker" stacks the dried tiles into ceramic cassettes and places them onto kiln cars for firing the following day. This completes a production cycle of approximately 48 hours. To enhance aesthetics and reduce product loss from chipping, tiles may be coloured using dyes or sprays, or finished with a Manganese Black paint.
Among Marley’s decorative offerings are their finials, which are ornamental features mounted at the ends of roof ridges. These are available in two classic designs: the Fleur-de-Lys and Ball Cap. Finials, which gained popularity during the Gothic Revival and date back to pre-Victorian times, can be fixed to both angled and rounded ridge tiles.
In addition to mass-produced items, Keele also manufactures high-quality handmade tiles. Skilled workers use a small press and wooden mallet to craft thousands of tiles each day. Every tile is individually stamped and labelled before firing. The slight irregularities and handcrafted finish significantly increase their market value.
Reflecting on the day, Liam Fairclough, Secretary of the HCTa North Staffordshire Branch, said: 'It was a privilege to witness the Marley factory in operation, and I would like to extend sincere thanks to the team for their warm hospitality. Thanks to the HCTa, more opportunities for public visits are being planned. Following the disruptions caused by COVID-19, we are now ramping up efforts to offer more tours and training sessions in the near future.'
About the HCTa
The HCTa is an association working as part of the Institute of Quarrying.
The mission of the Heavy Clay Technology Association (HCTa) is to promote heavy clay technology on a UK and international basis and provide its members with opportunities to broaden their professional outlook, skills and qualifications. The HCTa aims to continually improve its provision of courses which provide technical meetings, events, education and training and local networking through local societies to the industry.
If you would like to enquire about the HCTa see our website or contact Liam Fairclough, the HCTa North Staffordshire branch Secretary at Liam.fairclough@ibstock.co.uk.
