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Top 5 Architectural Brick Companies in America

by Riley Chatham

Posted on September 1, 2026 2:59 PM

Top 5 Architectural Brick Companies in America

When an architect specifies brick, they're making a hundred-year decision. The right manufacturer delivers more than a pallet of fired clay — it delivers color consistency across a whole elevation, the shapes and sizes a design demands, and the technical support to get a detail right. Plenty of companies make brick; a much shorter list makes brick that architects ask for by name. Here are five that have earned that reputation.

1. Cherokee Brick — Macon, Georgia

We'll admit our bias up front, but the résumé speaks for itself. Founded in 1877, Cherokee Brick is one of the oldest family-owned and operated brick manufacturers in the country, with nearly 150 years of continuous production and plants in Macon, Georgia and Jackson, Mississippi. Our catalog spans more than 100 varieties — from the Georgia Classic and Handcrafted collections to a dedicated Architectural Collection, thin brick, special shapes, and our Stratton Stone veneer line. What sets Cherokee apart for architectural work is the combination of Southern clay character and modern support: BIM objects, submittal resources, a brick visualizer, and showrooms where design teams can put full panels side by side. When a project calls for warmth, history, and a manufacturer that still answers the phone like a family business, this is where the search ends.

2. The Belden Brick Company — Canton, Ohio

Family-owned since its founding in 1885, Belden Brick has spent generations building a reputation as a benchmark for quality in the industry. Belden is among the largest family-owned brick makers in the nation, and its range is a big part of the appeal for architects: an enormous selection of sizes, colors, and textures, along with a deep catalog of special shapes for projects that refuse to stay rectangular. You'll find Belden brick on university campuses, civic buildings, and institutional projects across the country.

3. Acme Brick — Fort Worth, Texas

Founded in 1891, Acme Brick grew from a single Texas plant into one of the largest American-made brick manufacturers, and since 2000 it has operated as a Berkshire Hathaway company. Acme is best known for its residential strength across Texas and the South — including its famous 100-year guarantee — but its architectural portfolio is extensive, with a broad plant network that gives specifiers regional clay palettes and dependable supply on large commercial jobs.

4. General Shale — Johnson City, Tennessee

General Shale has been making brick in Tennessee since 1928 and today operates as the North American subsidiary of Wienerberger, the world's largest brick producer. That global backing, plus its 2021 acquisition of Meridian Brick, made General Shale one of the leading masonry suppliers on the continent. For architects, the draw is breadth: a wide product range that spans traditional face brick, contemporary architectural lines, and full masonry solutions, available through an extensive distribution network.

5. Glen-Gery — Wyomissing, Pennsylvania

Glen-Gery has been synonymous with designer brick since 1890. Now part of Australia's Brickworks family, the Pennsylvania-based manufacturer has leaned hard into the architectural and design community — including North American design studios where architects can explore its collections like showroom material rather than construction commodity. Glen-Gery is a frequent specification on high-design commercial and multifamily projects, particularly in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Choosing the Right Partner for Your Project

Every company on this list makes excellent brick — the right choice comes down to your region, your palette, and your project's demands. Clay is a local material at heart: brick made from the clays of your own region tends to sit naturally in its landscape, ship shorter distances, and come with support from people who know your market's architecture. If your project is in the Southeast, we'd love to make our case in person. Visit a Cherokee Brick showroom, order samples, or reach out through the Contact Us page at cherokeebrick.com — and put nearly 150 years of Georgia clay on your shortlist.