General News
23 January, 2025
Krause Bricks celebrates eight decades of creating dreams: brick by brick.
Three generations celebrate eight decades in the Krause family business
This year, Krause Bricks, a family-owned and operated business in Stawell, is celebrating eight decades of producing the finest handmade bricks used around the world.
Its founder, Jack Krause, started the company in 1945 and built it from the ground up, brick by brick, working 24/7 to establish a unique custom-made product in what is generally a mass-produced industry.
With three generations at the helm and counting, they say they look forward to continuing this tradition for many years.
The clay used to make the bricks in their 80th year comes from the original local clay quarry, just two kilometres from Stawell.
The unique raw material product has received numerous International Awards and secured a strong profile in the brick industry.
"Jack Krause was a hard worker; he saw the opportunity for a brickmaking business, and with some building knowledge and a brickmaking history, he established Krause Bricks," Site operations manager Rohan Hine said.
"The company has continued to grow over the decades and is now in its third generation, and each generation has brought additional skills to the company."
Second-generation Pat Krause is Jack's eldest son and a skilled engineer. He grew up in the brickworks and has an inherent knowledge of clay.
He creates custom machinery and tools that add to the uniqueness of the product, which increases the demand for their production,
"Pat relocated to Stawell in the 70s after some time away. He is a master in engineering and metal-work; those skills have added another dimension to the product," Mr Hine said.
"Krause bricks have appeared on television programs like Grand Designs, which feature unique buildings created around our product.
"If you drive around the Wimmera, especially Stawell, you'll see the unique finishes on many of the old buildings. Our ability to create individual colours and styles attracts people who want to build something personal and unique," he said.
"The original Salvos Hall in Stawell is a prime example of the uniqueness of the finish we can provide. It was built in the 1950s and 60s, created from oil-fired bricks with a pattern on the facade."
Krause bricks are primarily used in large homes, hospitals, schools and government buildings, but everyone can have a unique finish on their dream building.
Mr Hine said he believes the Krause family has always had the foresight and has deliberately continued to create a distinctive product as an alternative to the mass-produced industry offers.
Klynton is the third generation to join the business, and like his father, he grew up making bricks. Since joining the industry, he has introduced a greater emphasis on marketing to grow the company while maintaining the same principles it was based on.
His professional approach to social media has given the company a more significant national and international platform.
"Klynton is also very focused on the complete business process, from operations to extraction, marketing, and sales. He covers the entire process from beginning to completion.
"He is from the ideas generation and has good management skills and extraordinary perseverance, which all contribute to our growth and greater capacity," Mr Hine said.
"While unique bricks are their sought-after product, good business practices have been essential to the company's sustainability," Mr Hine said.
"It is essential to acknowledge the business is based on a vertically integrated model.
"Everything is done on-site by management and staff. The process from clay to delivery is done here and overseen by the on-site people, creating a very professional level of quality control."
The company has always been self-sufficient, and the owners have kept this approach at the production core."
A recent opportunity to take over another brickmaking business in Stawell has enabled them to increase their capacity, staffing and machinery without moving from the original site.
The Collins family had owned the business next door to Krause Bricks since the 1940s and had been a big part of Stawell's history. The former owners' decision to retire presented an opportunity for Krause Bricks to expand.
"We kept the staff and machinery," Mr Hine said. "It meant we could increase our capacity from the larger combined site without disrupting our original operations."
Mr Hine, who has a history in clay and cement manufacture, has been with Krause Bricks for four years after returning to his home base from Queensland.
"Pat Krause is still here working hands-on in the business most days but is spending a little more time fishing, which we are happy to see, as he truly deserves more fishing time. His second great passion after brickmaking," Mr Hine said.
Krause Bricks Pty Ltd is co-owned by Patrick and Klynton Krause, the second and third of the family's generations; they employ 45 staff.
Krause Bricks distributes widely throughout Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia and is building a solid international market.