日治時期武丹坑炭礦的礦主後宮信太郎，來台後在鮫島盛所開的「鮫島商行」工作，主要提供官方公共建設所需的煉瓦、木材與石材。煉瓦即現在的紅磚。鮫島盛往生後，後宮信太郎買下「鮫島商行」，為增加煉瓦的產量，引進新式的霍夫曼窯，之後再改組設立「臺灣煉瓦株式會社」，其磚面上壓製該會社Taiwan Renga英文縮寫TR當成商標，稱為TR磚。後來又再併購英商「撒木耳煉瓦會社Samuel & Samuel Company」所生產的S磚，這些品質良好的紅磚，大量用於鐵路隧道公共建設以及各種公家建築物和礦場建築。

During the Japanese ruling period, the owner of Wudankeng Coal Mine, Ushiroku Shintaro, came to Taiwan and worked at the "Sameshima Trading Company" opened by Sameshima Mori. The company mainly supplied bricks, timber, and stone for public construction projects. These bricks are what we now call red bricks. After Sameshima Mori passed away, Ushiroku Shintaro bought the "Sameshima Trading Company." In order to increase brick production, Mr. Ushiroku introduced the new Hoffman kiln. Later, Ushiroku reorganized the company into "Taiwan Renga Corporation." The bricks were branded with the TR logo, which stands for Taiwan Renga. Besides, Ushiroku acquired the S bricks produced by the British-owned "Samuel & Samuel Company." These high-quality red bricks were widely used in railway tunnels, public buildings, and mine constructions.