Over 130 Years and Always Innovating

Why Architects Are Choosing Quality Edge TruCedar® Steel Siding

As more and more clients become aware of potential damages to residences and commercial buildings from wildfires, winds and fading colors due to scorching sunlight, architects are looking for solutions to mitigate these risks in new construction and renovations. One promising solution involves using the power of steel siding for exterior walls.

Siding for homes and commercial structures has had an interesting history.
Groundbreaking Commercial Building Product Announced – The DuPont™ ArmorWall™ System
Want A Competitive Edge? Put Your Project On The Fast Track

Marketing lore is replete with brand names that were so popular they became generic terms. Brands like Kleenex (facial tissue), Coke (soft drinks), Frigidaire (refrigerators) all benefited from this brand recognition in the marketplace. Interestingly, this process also works in reverse, where a generic term can become a popular brand. Want an example?
Hytect – Enhanced Ceramic Facades: Using the Power of Nature to Protect Commercial Buildings
Lead image: Self-cleaning and aesthetic Raiffeisen Forum, Mödling, Austria /Architects: X42 Team, Vienna, Austria / Photos: Rich Hiebl
An Ancient Building Material With Modern, Biophilic Benefits: Terracotta Cladding
Photo credit (left to right): David Brossard, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons, Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons, davidvives90/Pixabay,
How “Passive House” Construction Saves Energy

Physicists Bo Adamson from Lund University in Sweden and Wolfgang Feist from the Institut für Wohnen und Umwelt in Germany had read the research, dating back to the 1970s, that suggested it was possible to construct a low-energy building that was designed to exploit passive solar technologies and establish a comfortable indoor temperature with a low-energy requirement for heating or cooling. In 1988 the two professors coined a German term to describe this process. It was “Passivhaus.”
Building Owners Discover The Advantages of Natural Slate: One Of The Best Is CUPACLAD

While architects and contractors have recognized the benefits of rainscreen cladding for energy conservation for many years, savvy building owners are now asking about this product because it looks so great. In response, Acme Brick has added a premier rainscreen cladding line to its suite of products.
Artificial Intelligence and Construction: How Architects and Builders Are Harnessing This Amazing Technology
How A “Job” Became A Career: Ed Watson’s 40 Years with Acme Brick Company
The Spectacular Look of Stone With Easy Installation: Coronado Stone
Many home buyers love the natural look of stone but wince a little at the cost of this classic building material. This has led to an increase in the popularity of stone veneer, and one of the best is Coronado Stone, available from Acme Brick.

Coronado architectural stone veneer can be used to greatly enhance the look and feel of a wide range of projects, from exterior walls to interior accent walls, kitchen backsplashes to outdoor entertainment spaces, and any other spot that can benefit from the timeless character of stone.
As Mortgage Rates Level Off, Homebuyers Are Giving Sustainability Another Look

There was a time in the not-so-distant past when the word “sustainability” almost never came up in conversations between potential home buyers and their builders. We live in a different world now.

Consumer surveys have shown renewed interest on the part of home buyers in sustainability. Why? A sustainable home respects not only the planet but also the homeowner’s pocketbook. Here’s a checklist for discussing sustainability with your clients.
New Home Buyers Want Safety And Low Maintenance: Brick Construction Has Both

Residential and commercial builders have first-hand experience with the durability, low maintenance, and safety of brick construction. Plus, the consensus among fire fighters is that a home or commercial building constructed of brick retards fire better than any other material. Even in the most destructive fires, the lives of residents and the people who must fight these fires can be saved, and the damage to the building can often be mitigated.
What’s The Secret Sauce For Builders And Investors Of Residential Rental Properties? Durable Construction.
Many of those FOR SALE signs that were once everywhere in suburban neighborhoods have been replaced by signs offering the property FOR RENT. Whether homes are in recently completed communities or more mature neighborhoods, homes that are built to be rental properties are on the radar screens of builders and investors.

This presents both challenges and opportunities for homebuilders.
Multiple Generations Living Under One Roof: How Homebuilders Are Adjusting

According to census data, there were 6 million multigenerational households in the U.S. in 2020, up from 5.1 million in 2010. These are households that include two or more adult generations, or grandparents and grandchildren younger than 25. While many cultures and ethnic groups (e.g., Hispanic, Asian) have always embraced this extended family living arrangement, they are now being joined by all other groups.

Based on this trend, homebuilders are taking a closer look at offering floor plans that allow for greater flexibility.
Why Your Clients Are Asking For A “Healthy Home”- Antibacterial Tile Can Help
Digital Tools for Architects and Builders from Acme Brick

With so many new products being added to Acme Brick’s inventory, architects and builders needed a convenient way to access their specifications, colors, and styles. Digital product brochures, catalogs, case studies, and other building and design resources have now been added to the site, dramatically increasing the accessibility of all product offerings.
Your Clients Want to Entertain Outside Even When It’s Chilly. Keep Them Cozy with a Patio Heater

Outdoor entertaining has never been hotter, even when it turns colder.

Fresh air with a few friends and family is certainly conducive to a great time, and nothing tastes better than grilled meat and vegetables. However, what about those times in the fall and winter when “baby, it’s cold outside?”
Acme Brick: Your Source For Stunning Wrought Iron Doors

Since ancient times, wrought iron has been a popular addition to homes and public buildings. When this metal is used for doors, the designs and colors of this material make a design statement that suggests richness and timelessness. For builders who want to add an elegant component to brick construction, wrought iron is an excellent choice.
John Brewer Is the New General Sales Manager for Acme Brick in Texas

Builders who specify Acme Brick have another ally at the company in the new General Sales Manager for Texas. It’s John Brewer, a man who started his career as a residential home builder. Acme announced this promotion recently, and Brewer joins a long list of talented construction experts to hold this position in the company's more than 130 year history.
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The 5 Ways MAC Metal Siding Turned Disaster into Dazzling for the Exterior of a Texas Office Building

When they designed the ENT building in Fort Worth, Texas, the architects from the highly regarded firm of 97w did what great designers do: They spent weeks researching construction materials for the exterior facade of the building with the idea that it would make it stand out among the other buildings in the rapidly growing Clearfork area.
Houston’s Gulf Building Constructed in 1927 of Acme Brick: Standing the Test of Time

One of the most magnificent examples of commercial buildings designed in the “Art Deco” style was constructed of brick manufactured by Acme Brick. The Gulf Building is still a “show stopper” almost 100 years after it was built.
Why Your Clients Might Be Asking for Sustainable Building Products

As with many trends in residential construction, the term “sustainability” has gone from a buzzword used by a small number of people to the mainstream of new homebuyers. Why? One word: economics.
Clients Want To Build A Vacation Home, But It’s Located In A Hurricane Zone
When clients find a lovely piece of coastal property and decide they want to build a vacation home, a red flag often goes up for builders. To be specific, two red flags with a black square in the middle of each is the warning for a hurricane!
After More Than 130 Years, The Company Built With Brick Is Stronger Than Ever

On April 17, 1891, businessman George E. Bennett chartered a company known as the Acme Pressed Brick Company. But not even a visionary like Bennet could image what was to come. By the mid-20th century, his company --- since renamed Acme Brick --- would become the largest American-owned brick manufacturer.
For Residential or Commercial Buildings: 5 Reasons To Pick MAC Metal Architectural Siding

Whether it's the heat of the blazing sun in the Southwest or the humidity and moisture in the Southeast, weather can wreak havoc on the exterior of any building — residential or commercial. This is why architects across the United States are rethinking their old decisions about cladding and choosing MAC Metal Architectural Siding.
A Homebuilder Checklist: 10 Premium Products Your Clients Will Love
Art Deco Is Hot Again And So Is Glass Brick
Art Deco, a design trend that first gained popularity in the 1920s, has regained popularity, and we’ve noticed that our customers, who are architects, builders, and interior designers, are thinking outside the glass box. Glass block and brick are hot again, and this trend is being driven by the consumer’s appreciation of the natural radiance of light.
How ThinBRIK Can Revitalize The Loft Look
The “loft look” got its start when manufacturers moved their operations from urban city centers to less expensive suburban areas starting in the 1950s. This left warehouse space available for redevelopment into living and working spaces for artists, writers, and other knowledge workers who loved the large rooms, exposed brick, low rent, and high-energy lifestyle these spaces provided.
Fast-Moving Residential Fires Are Often Fed by Vinyl Siding— Here Are 2 Products to Help Stop This
In the past 50 years, the economics of home construction have changed dramatically. When vinyl siding and synthetic insulation materials were introduced in the 1960s, as a substitute for traditional brick and wood, home builders found their costs were reduced dramatically. In recent years, it is estimated by trade associations that homes wrapped in vinyl siding and synthetic insulation are purchased by 33 percent of new home buyers.

Innovative Building Products, IBP, is an Acme Brick company. And for Acme, brick is only the beginning.

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IBP Blog - Recent News

Why Architects Are Choosing Quality Edge TruCedar® Steel Siding

Groundbreaking Commercial Building Product Announced – The DuPont™ ArmorWall™ System

Want A Competitive Edge? Put Your Project On The Fast Track

Hytect – Enhanced Ceramic Facades: Using the Power of Nature to Protect Commercial Buildings

An Ancient Building Material With Modern, Biophilic Benefits: Terracotta Cladding

How “Passive House” Construction Saves Energy

Building Owners Discover The Advantages of Natural Slate: One Of The Best Is CUPACLAD

Artificial Intelligence and Construction: How Architects and Builders Are Harnessing This Amazing Technology

How A “Job” Became A Career: Ed Watson’s 40 Years with Acme Brick Company

The Spectacular Look of Stone With Easy Installation: Coronado Stone

As Mortgage Rates Level Off, Homebuyers Are Giving Sustainability Another Look

New Home Buyers Want Safety And Low Maintenance: Brick Construction Has Both

What’s The Secret Sauce For Builders And Investors Of Residential Rental Properties? Durable Construction.

Multiple Generations Living Under One Roof: How Homebuilders Are Adjusting

Why Your Clients Are Asking For A “Healthy Home”- Antibacterial Tile Can Help

Digital Tools for Architects and Builders from Acme Brick

Your Clients Want to Entertain Outside Even When It’s Chilly. Keep Them Cozy with a Patio Heater

Acme Brick: Your Source For Stunning Wrought Iron Doors

John Brewer Is the New General Sales Manager for Acme Brick in Texas

The 5 Ways MAC Metal Siding Turned Disaster into Dazzling for the Exterior of a Texas Office Building

Houston’s Gulf Building Constructed in 1927 of Acme Brick: Standing the Test of Time

Why Your Clients Might Be Asking for Sustainable Building Products

Clients Want To Build A Vacation Home, But It’s Located In A Hurricane Zone

After More Than 130 Years, The Company Built With Brick Is Stronger Than Ever

For Residential or Commercial Buildings: 5 Reasons To Pick MAC Metal Architectural Siding

A Homebuilder Checklist: 10 Premium Products Your Clients Will Love

Art Deco Is Hot Again And So Is Glass Brick

How ThinBRIK Can Revitalize The Loft Look

Fast-Moving Residential Fires Are Often Fed by Vinyl Siding— Here Are 2 Products to Help Stop This