World’s largest brick belongs to Acme


Thursday, November 8, 2007
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World’s largest brick belongs to Acme

Photo by Sue Watson

Holly Springs stop

Baby Clay, the world’s biggest brick built by Acme, visited the Holly Springs plant last week on its tour of plants throughout the United States. Standing front, from left, are Candy Brigance, Darren Fite and Gene Skelton. In rear, from left, are Thelma Ayers, Jessie McKinney, Joe Hoey, Wade Hightower, Lorenzo Glover, Frank Mayfield, Greg Wilson and Trina Wilson.

Acme Brick Company is celebrating its 116th year in a really big way this year.

Baby Clay, the world’s largest brick as certified by the Guinness world book of records, was on display at the plant in Holly Springs last week. The nearly 10,000-pound brick was manufactured at Acme’s brick plant in Denton, Texas.

This ‘baby’ sets all kinds of records because he weighs in at 5 tons and is 116 inches long - an inch for every year Acme has been in business. Baby Clay is nearly 3,000 times the size of a standard brick.

He proudly bears the Acme logo, carved into one end of the brick. Acme’s residential brick products and Baby Clay are America’s only “branded” brick. The logo represents the Acme 100-year Limited Homebuyers’ Guarantee.

Acme president and CEO Dennis Knautz said, “The creation of Baby Clay demonstrates exceptional expertise among our brick making staff. This was a huge, unprecedented challenge for them. It seems fitting that one of America’s oldest, and the world’s largest American-owned brick company should produce the world’s largest brick to commemorate Acme’s 116 years in business.”

The newborn was named Clay because he is comprised of clay materials from each of Acme’s 23 brick plants around the Southwest. This giant brick measures 39 inches tall and 39 inches wide.

Baby Clay is Acme’s fifth attempt to create this world record brick. The first four attempts, beginning in September 2004, were tremendous learning experiences for the determined brick makers. The crew made adjustments and the fifth time was the charm. Acme’s Denton plant required 13 months to create Baby Clay compared to the normal time of a week for a normal brick.

“I think that the successful birth of Baby Clay also says something about the traditional American values of hard work and persistence, as demonstrated by Harland Dixon (Acme plant manager), Mack Wilcox, our project manager, and his crew,” said company president Knautz.

During October and November Baby Clay will log nearly 7,000 miles visiting all 67 Acme offices and plants in eight states as the company celebrates its 116th year in business.

A special trailer has been created to accommodate the newborn in his travels. It is anticipated that Clay will be making a number of guest appearances in other venues as well.

A complete schedule of Clay’s appearances can be found on the Acme web-site at brick.com.

Acme Brick, the world’s largest American-owned brick company, was established April 17, 1891 near Fort Worth, Texas. Acme and its affiliated building products companies are part of Berkshire Hathaway headed by famed investor Warren Buffett.

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