Matzen Tegl is a family-owned Danish brick manufacturer with roots dating back to 1750. Today, the company is operated by the eighth generation and comprises both Carl Matzens Teglværk and Graasten Teglværk.
We produce handstruck and waterstruck bricks for new-build projects, restoration work and architectural developments in Denmark and abroad. Our work is founded on generations of experience, locally sourced clay and a fundamental respect for the material.
Matzen Tegl today
Today, Matzen Tegl is managed by the eighth generation and has operated its own sales organisation since 1 February 2025. This enables us to work more closely with architects, developers and business partners throughout the entire process.
We develop and manufacture handstruck and waterstruck bricks, often in close dialogue regarding the aesthetic and architectural requirements of a project. Our bricks are used in new-build developments, restoration projects and distinctive buildings where the material plays a defining role.
A family of brickmakers since 1750
Peter Matzen represents the eighth generation of a family that has worked with brickmaking since 1750. For more than 275 years, the material has been shaped, refined and passed down from generation to generation, always rooted in the clay and the craftsmanship surrounding it.
Over time, the brick has evolved in form, format and appearance, yet it has always remained at the heart of the family’s work. Experience has been built upon rather than replaced, with each generation contributing to the development and application of the material.
When Peter Matzen took over the management of the company in 1988, he did so with a clear ambition to carry the legacy forward while allowing the brick to evolve in line with contemporary architectural demands.
a { text-decoration: none; color: #464feb; } tr th, tr td { border: 1px solid #e6e6e6; } tr th { background-color: #f5f5f5; }
The long-standing work with bricks has never been static. It has continually evolved alongside changing times and the demands of architecture. The balance between heritage and innovation has therefore remained a defining theme throughout the company’s history.
It is within this balance that Peter Matzen has made his mark on the company, continuing the family’s work with bricks in a contemporary context.
Collaboration in other countries
Matzen Tegl works closely with architects, developers and partners both in Denmark and internationally. Our collaborations are built on professional expertise, dialogue and a shared understanding of the importance of the material in each individual project.
In Sweden, Tegelmäster is a partly owned company of Matzen Tegl. Tegelmäster markets and sells Matzen Tegl bricks and provides project consultancy and technical guidance.
In Norway, Matzen Tegl is represented by Mur Direkte.
In the Netherlands, we work together with STC (Stenen Totaal Concept), the official distributor of Matzen Tegl, in collaboration with GDS and AMA. Learn more at matzen-tegl.nl.
In the United Kingdom, sales are managed by European Building Materials.
In Australia, Matzen Tegl is represented by Prolific Stone International.
Carl Matzens Teglværk
Carl Matzens Teglværk is Denmark’s oldest brickworks and can be traced back to 1750, when brick production began to develop in the Egernsund area. Here, the first bricks were handstruck from local clay, dried in the open air and fired in simple kilns.
Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the brickworks evolved with the times while always maintaining respect for the material and the craft. The combination of local clay, experience and careful firing produced bricks with distinctive colour variation and durability that were sought after far beyond the local area.
Over the years, the brickworks has adapted to new technologies and production methods without losing the craftsmanship that continues to define its work today.
Graasten Teglværk
Graasten Teglværk was founded in 1903 and has throughout its history experienced changing ownership and periods of both development and inactivity. The brickworks has been part of the region’s industrial development and has continuously adapted to the changing demands of the market and building traditions.
In 1988, Carl Matzen acquired the brickworks. With this acquisition, Graasten Teglværk became part of the family’s brickmaking heritage and continued as an active production facility focused on quality, continuity and a deep understanding of the material.
Today, Graasten Teglværk forms a central part of Matzen Tegl’s overall production and contributes craftsmanship and capacity built on more than a century of experience in brick manufacturing.
Carl Matzens Teglværk data
Established
1750
Capacity
18 million bricks
Processing
Stone separator roller mill, clay pit and roller mill
Wet presses
Soft-mud brick press and sanded handstruck brick press
Clay pits
Around the brickworks and 3–13 km away
Drying
Chamber drying
Products
Handstruck and waterstruck facing bricks in a variety of shades, as well as backing bricks. All product types are available in a range of formats. Brick lintels and special-shaped bricks are also available.
Firing
90-metre tunnel kiln
Transport
Automatic transfer car, brick setting, dehacking and packaging systems
Graasten Teglværk data
Established
1903
Capacity
25 million bricks
Processing
Stone separator roller mill, clay pit and 2 roller mills
Wet presses
Soft-mud brick press
Clay pits
Up to 40 km from the brickworks
Drying
Chamber drying, 1960
Products
Waterstruck facing bricks in a variety of shades, as well as backing bricks. All product types are available in different formats. Brick lintels and special-shaped bricks are also available.
Firing
130-metre tunnel kiln installed in 2008. Previously, production was carried out using a Hoffmann kiln (1903-1960), and for a period a zigzag kiln was operated alongside it.
Transport
Automatic transfer car, brick setting, dehacking and packaging systems