Ludowici Roof Tile

Ludowici Roof Tile is a manufacturer of terracotta (fired clay) roof tile based in New Lexington, Ohio. Its name comes from the Ludowici family of Germany: Carl Ludowici bought a roof tile factory there in 1857, and after his death in 1881 his sons Wilhelm and Franz ran the business, Franz on the commercial side and Wilhelm on design. The American company grew from the Celadon Terra Cotta Company, founded in 1888 in Alfred, New York.

Corporate history

• 1905: Celadon bought the Imperial Clay Company and its factory in New Lexington, Ohio.
• 1906: The two companies merged as the Ludowici-Celadon Company.
• 1976: CSC Inc. of Chicago acquired Ludowici-Celadon.
• 1989: CertainTeed, part of Saint-Gobain, bought the company.
• 1994: The name was shortened to Ludowici Roof Tile.
• Around 2002: Management passed from CertainTeed to Terreal, another Saint-Gobain clay products business, which left Saint-Gobain the following year with Ludowici included.
• 2024: The Austrian group Wienerberger completed its acquisition of Terreal; Ludowici's management moved to Wienerberger's US brick business, General Shale.

Products

Ludowici produces extruded and pressed clay roof tiles in many historic profiles, including Spanish (barrel) tile, single-lap tile and flat shingle tile, along with trim pieces and glazed finishes. Clay tile is fired at high temperature, which gives it colour stability and resistance to weathering.

Notable buildings

Ludowici tile has been used on many landmark buildings in the United States, including the White House, the dome of the Pennsylvania State Capitol, the corner towers of the New York State Capitol, the Plaza Hotel and the New York Life Building in New York, Wrigley Field in Chicago, and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.