Block making machines in Ghana: how to choose and import one

Ghana builds with sandcrete blocks, and a good block machine can pay for itself on a single project. Most machines sold here are made in China. This guide covers the main types, what to check before you pay, and how to get one to your site.

The main types of block machine

Manual and egg-laying machines

Small machines that press blocks straight onto the ground and move along as they go, which is why they are called egg-laying. They need little or no power and cost the least, so they suit a single building site. How many blocks you get depends mostly on the crew.

Semi-automatic machines

A motor drives the vibration and the pressing, while workers feed the mix and carry the blocks away on pallets. This is the usual step up for a small block business selling to builders nearby.

Fully automatic machines

A production line: batching, mixing, pressing, stacking and often a conveyor. You get more blocks and more even ones, but you also need a proper shed, steady three-phase power, a trained operator and a bigger budget. These are for block factories, not one-off builds.

Interlocking brick and paver machines

Interlocking bricks lock together with little or no mortar. Paver machines make the paving stones used on driveways and compounds. Many machines take more than one mould, so one machine can make hollow blocks, solid blocks and pavers.

Block sizes: check the mould

There is no single official block size in Ghana. Five-inch and six-inch hollow sandcrete blocks are the most common for walls, and builders use other sizes for other jobs. The mould decides the block, so:

• Ask for each mould's exact size in millimetres.
• Ask which moulds come with the machine and what extra moulds cost.
• Check which sizes the builders and buyers in your area actually use.

Power: the question most buyers miss

Ghana's mains electricity is 230 volts at 50 Hz. Bigger block machines usually need three-phase power, which many homes and small sites don't have. Before you order:

• Ask whether every motor is single-phase or three-phase, and its power in kilowatts.
• Check what supply your site has, and what a connection or upgrade would take.
• Make sure the motors are built for 50 Hz. A motor made for 60 Hz runs slower here.
• No grid at the site? Ask for a version with a diesel engine, or choose a generator big enough for all the motors together, with room to start them. Our solar and power department has diesel generators.

What to ask the supplier

1. Output for your block size, per hour or per day, and how many workers that assumes. Treat the headline number as the best case.
2. Cycle time and how the machine vibrates the mould.
3. A list of every motor, with its power and phase.
4. What the mould is made of, how thick it is, and what wears out first.
5. Spare parts. Ask for the list of wear parts and order a spare set with the machine. Waiting weeks for a part from China stops your production.
6. A test video of your machine, not a catalogue video, making your block size, with today's date in view.
7. A manual and wiring diagram in English.
8. The crate size and weight, so freight and duty can be priced properly.

Shipping and duty

Block machines are heavy and bulky, so they travel by sea, usually in a crate. The sailing from Shanghai to Tema takes about 30 to 45 days. Add the time to build the machine, truck it to the port, wait for a ship and clear customs. A full automatic line may need a container of its own.

Ghana charges import duty under the ECOWAS Common External Tariff, in bands from 0% to 35% set by the product's HS code, with VAT and levies on top. Machines for production often fall in a lower band than finished consumer goods, but the HS code decides, so confirm it with a licensed customs broker or the Ghana Revenue Authority before you budget. Rates change, so check the current figures.

At Landed, machines are priced by hand. We confirm the crate size, weight and HS code with the factory first, then give you one all-in price that includes shipping, duty and clearing.

Running costs to plan for

• Cement and sand. The mix decides how strong a block is more than the machine does. Too little cement gives weak blocks, however good the press.
• Curing space. Fresh blocks need shade and regular watering for several days before they are sold or laid, so plan space and pallets for a few days of output.
• Pallets. Semi-automatic machines need a lot of them. Check how many come with the machine.
• Training. Ask the supplier for training videos or a video call with an engineer when the machine arrives.

Get a price

• Browse block, brick and paver machines and concrete mixers.
• Building at the same time? See building and construction.
• Found a machine on Alibaba? Paste the link and get one all-in price.
• New to buying from China? Start with how to import from China to Ghana.