Founded in 2017 by Olivier BAYLÉ, BFL France has established itself as a key player in the treatment of humidity in buildings and homes throughout France, specifically against rising damp. Based on the premise that traditional methods of combating rising damp were too invasive, costly and incomplete, the I.P.E® (Electromagnetic Polarity Inverter) was created, manufactured and distributed nationwide.
Building on its success, BFL decided to go international and create BFL International in 2020, as demand for these innovative devices was growing considerably.
Today the company manufactures and distributes two devices: I.P.E® and I.P.G®, work-free solutions that treat 100% of rising damp. BFL has presence throughout all Europe, has partners on all continents and, above all, they have huge expertise in the problem of rising damp.
Interview with Olivier BAYLÉ, CEO & Founder of BFL.
What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Olivier BAYLÉ: As we are a single-product company, we operate only on the rising damp treatment market. Our activities are divided into two mains areas: Expertise and Distribution.
Firstly, our role is to make people (private individuals and professionals) aware of the dangers of damp in the home, to help them understand the phenomenon of capillary rise at the root of the problem, and thus to help them deal with the problem in the best possible way.
We are experts in this pathology and help people to understand it, whatever the structure of their building (materials and techniques used) and the various moisture problems that can affect their home.
Our aim is to help people avoid using so-called “cover-up” methods that put off the problem without treating it.
In practice, our services mean ongoing training for professionals so that they can treat rising damp without using invasive solutions, and above all in a way that is very affordable for the end customer.
And we receive calls from people, mainly across Europe, who have questions and need a diagnosis of their damp problems. We help them to understand the situation and accompany them to a solution.
What’s the news about new products/services?
O.B: Our new-generation device, the I.P.E® Pro+, is our latest innovation, making it possible for anyone to monitor the moisture levels in the walls of their home live via an app.
The app allows you to track drying in real time, connected by Bluetooth to the device installed on the wall of your home. As a result, anyone can now track the final drying out of their home (between 6 and 12 months) via an app (available on Google Play & App Store).
Today, we are the only company in the world to offer a smart device such as this.
It’s a small revolution in the damp-proofing industry to allow people to put numbers on the health of their walls.
From a technical point of view, the app will retrieve the measurement thanks to the resistance between the two screws on which the device is positioned in the wall.
We’re proud to be able to offer technology like this to our customers, so that they can let end-users know how things are going.
What are the ranges of products/services?
O.B: The I.P.G®, I.P.E® and I.P.E® Pro+. Our product range boils down to these 3 devices.
There are several models for each of these machines, with different surfaces to suit different building sites.
The I.P.E® range is based on audio-frequency technology. When the device is placed on a load-bearing wall and plugged in, it will release audio frequencies into all the solid bodies of the building (walls, slab and foundations). These very low frequencies will destabilize and disassociate water molecules, causing them to sink by gravity into the ground.
The drying out, or curative period, will take between 6 and 12 months. After that, simply leave the device plugged in for the rest of your life to prevent the foundations from any further rising damp.
A single device can dry out up to 2,500m2 of soil, permanently.
For I.P.G®, the technology is different. The device has a passive, unplugged circuit and is powered by the natural electromagnetic field.
It creates a magnetic barrier beneath the house’s foundations, cutting off the water supply by capillary action.
As a result, the building dries out naturally over a period of 18 to 36 months.
What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
O.B: Today, the world market for rising damp is dominated by the traditional solution of injection: holes are drilled every 10cm above the building slab, waterproof resin is injected, and this forms a barrier that stops water molecules rising up the walls.
This is an “ancestral” method that has been used for over 70 years, but is now outdated as it is too invasive and has to be repeated every 15 years, as the injected chemicals have a shelf life.
In France today, our device is well known and recognized, and over 20,000 devices have been installed. In Europe and the rest of the world, however, injection still dominates the market, due to a lack of awareness among people with moisture problems. With the recent heavy rainy season, we’ve seen an increase in demand for affordable solutions, and we’re currently developing our European expansion in various Eastern European markets. We’re also looking for distributors to build long-term relationships in markets with strong demand in Hungary, Romania and Poland for example.
The market is “infinite” due to the ever-increasing demand for building protection and preservation worldwide. Rising capillaries come from geological water faults underground, and unfortunately even with all our good will we can’t prevent them from pushing water molecules towards the foundations – they were there before us and will be there after us!
What can you tell us about market trends?
O.B: The market is moving towards more responsible consumption and more sustainable treatment of buildings, and injection solutions are running out of steam in a context where people are increasingly skeptical about the chemicals used.
Of course, money is still the sinews of war, and our solutions are sometimes offered at 3 or 4 times less than the competition. We know that cost is a major consideration for people who are sometimes faced with a total renovation of their home.
What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
O.B: The rising damp treatment market is extremely niche, with 3 main solutions in Europe.
As mentioned above, injection is the most traditional solution, since it involves making holes in the top of the slab to create a chemical barrier.
About 50 years ago, electro-osmosis, an electrical system with batteries, anodes and cathodes, was created to treat rising capillaries in walls: the system emits an electrical current to counteract the current that pushes water molecules into the walls at the base.
This solution revolutionized injection, but quickly showed its limitations over time: problems with rust on the anodes and cathodes, visible wires on all the walls of the building and excessive maintenance costs.
And finally, the I.P.E®. arrived with the first model launched in 2010. It’s by far the most innovative solution on the market, and that’s its great strength.
What estimations do you have for the beginning of 2025?
O.B: For 2025, we see this as a pivotal stage in our international development, particularly in Europe in countries where we are not yet present. We plan to expand in Northern and Eastern Europe in the following regions: Scandinavia, the Baltic States, the Balkans and Romania in particular.
We hope to find new partners to ensure a local and lasting presence in these countries, combining our expertise in the humidity sector with their experience of the local market. It’s very important for us to work with people who are rigorous and with whom we can create more than just a commercial link.