Bufferblock
Bufferblock (now beDrain) is a Dutch concrete-products unit of Berding Beton GmbH that sells a patented modular concrete block system for underground urban rainwater storage, infiltration and reuse, serving municipal governments, civil engineering firms and large institutional sites primarily in the Netherlands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersRotterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Bufferblock does
Bufferblock, now marketed under the beDrain brand, develops and commercializes a modular concrete block system for urban stormwater drainage, buffering, infiltration and reuse. The technology consists of 45 × 60 × 16 cm concrete blocks (≈42 kg each) placed underground just below road surface to form a network of channels that can store up to 271 liters of rainwater per m² (61% rainfall storage), bear heavy traffic loads, and be inspected with standard sewer-camera robots. The product is built from recycled concrete, manufactured using standard paving-stone equipment, and protected by an EU-supported patent originating from Hill Innovations BV; one source cites up to 500 L/m² in later versions, indicating product evolution.
Since its 2018 debut at the WaterStraat experimental lab in TU Delft's Green Village, Bufferblock has secured lighthouse installations including a 490 m² deployment under Diergaarde Blijdorp zoo (delivered with Field Factors/Bluebloqs and projected to save 9 million liters of tap water annually) and a world-first citywide application in Capelle aan den IJssel. Its business model is project-based direct sales of physical infrastructure to Dutch municipal governments, civil engineering contractors and large institutional sites, supplemented by EU Horizon 2020/Interreg STAR2Cs grant funding and academic validation partnerships.
Following the end-2023 transfer of Bufferblock's activities to German concrete group Berding Beton GmbH, the operation is now embedded within Berding Beton Nederland alongside sister companies Noppert Beton, LBN Betonproducten, Leicon Concrelit and Façade Beton. The 2025 rebrand to beDrain broadens positioning from single-purpose buffering to integrated climate-adaptation solutions, bundling beDrain with sister products beProtect Klimaatsteen (water-storing pavement), beClean (rainwater purification), beCompact (linear drainage with filtration), Groen parkeren (green permeable parking) and Cera Nueva (recycled-content pavers). The combined organization operates in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, the UK and Ireland.
Bufferblock firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bufferblock
- Legal name
- Bufferblock
- Website
- https://bufferblock.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Bufferblock (now beDrain) is a Dutch concrete-products unit of Berding Beton GmbH that sells a patented modular concrete block system for underground urban rainwater storage, infiltration and reuse, serving municipal governments, civil engineering firms and large institutional sites primarily in the Netherlands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bufferblock industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Urban Stormwater Management Systems
- NAICS
- Concrete Pipe, Brick, and Block Manufacturing (32733), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (237110)
- SIC
- Concrete Products, Except Block & Brick (3272), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Roadway Drainage & Stormwater Works (Culverts, Ditches, Catch Basins) (IMAFAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Flood Control & Protection Infrastructure (Levees, Floodwalls, Gates, Pump Stations) (EUANAEAI), Concrete Pipe, Box Culverts & Drainage Structures (IMADAAAD)
Keywords
Where Bufferblock is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Rotterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Bufferblock business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- beDrain/Bufferblock Product Sales: Sale of concrete modular water buffering blocks and systems to municipalities, construction companies, and urban development projects. Revenue is project-based, driven by municipal infrastructure contracts and civil engineering projects.
- Climate Adaptation Solutions Portfolio: Under Berding Beton Nederland, offers complementary climate adaptation products including beProtect Klimaatsteen (water-storing pavement), green parking solutions, beClean rainwater purification, and beCompact linear drainage systems, creating cross-selling opportunities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Bufferblock product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bufferblock designs, manufactures, and sells modular concrete block systems for urban stormwater management, marketed under the beDrain brand. The blocks are installed just below road surfaces to store (up to 271 L/m²), infiltrate, delay-drain, or enable reuse of rainwater, supporting heavy traffic loads. The company complements this core product with a portfolio of related climate-adaptive concrete products including water-storing pavement, underground rainwater purification, and linear drainage with filtration, sold primarily to municipalities and civil engineering firms in the Netherlands and select European countries.
Product overview
Bufferblock operates as the Dutch division of Berding Beton Nederland, offering a modular system of concrete products for urban rainwater management. The core offering is the beDrain water buffering concrete system, which stores, infiltrates, and manages rainwater underground beneath paved surfaces. This is complemented by a portfolio of related climate-adaptive products including beProtect Klimaatsteen (water-storing pavement for heat stress mitigation), beClean (underground rainwater purification), beCompact (linear drainage with integrated filtration), Groen parkeren (water-permeable green parking), and Cera Nueva (sustainable concrete pavers). The products are designed to work individually or as an integrated system for comprehensive climate adaptation in urban environments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- beProtect Klimaatsteen: Water-storing pavement that stores rainwater, evaporates it and helps combat heat stress
- beClean
- beCompact
Products and services
- beDrain (formerly Bufferblock) Modular concrete block system installed underground just below road surfaces to store (up to 271 L/m²), infiltrate, delay-drain, and enable reuse of urban stormwater. Dimensions 45 x 60 x 16 cm, 61% rainfall storage, heavy traffic load bearing, 50+ year lifespan. Sold to municipalities, civil engineering firms, and large institutional facilities.
- beProtect Klimaatsteen Water-storing pavement solution that captures rainwater, stores it, and releases it through evaporation to help mitigate urban heat stress. Complements the beDrain underground buffering system in climate-adaptive urban designs.
- beClean Underground rainwater purification system using filter materials that remove pollutants and contaminants from stormwater runoff before the water is further drained, infiltrated, or reused.
- beCompact Linear drainage channel with integrated purification function that captures and filters rainwater before it is discharged or infiltrated into the ground.
- Groen parkeren (Green Parking) Water-permeable paving solution designed with space for vegetation, improving rainwater infiltration and supporting urban biodiversity in parking areas.
- Cera Nueva Sustainable concrete pavers with the appearance of traditional baked clay bricks, manufactured with a high proportion of recycled raw materials.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9 million liters of tap water savings annually for Diergaarde Blijdorp (30% of water demand)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Bufferblock
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Bufferblock technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Bufferblock partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Field Factors (Bluebloqs)coreJoint development of circular water systems for Diergaarde Blijdorp. Bufferblock provides underground rainwater storage while Field Factors' Bluebloqs biofilter system purifies collected water for reuse. Combined solution enables 9 million liters annual tap water savings.
- VPdelta ConsortiumcoreInnovation program comprising Hoogheemraadschap van Schieland en de Krimpenerwaard, Gemeente Rotterdam, TU Delft, and Hogeschool Rotterdam. Provides funding and research support for Diergaarde Blijdorp circular water project and other urban water quality initiatives.
- Green Village / The Green VillagecoreExperimental living lab at TU Delft campus where Bufferblock technology has been demonstrated since 2018. Government bodies, entrepreneurs, and knowledge institutions collaborate to develop climate-resilient urban solutions.
- Hill Innovations BVcoreOriginal developer of Bufferblock technology. Businesswoman Dorian Hill continues involvement as advisor. Parent company relationship with Hill Innovations as intellectual property originator.
- Interreg STAR2Cs ProgrammeminorEU-funded program (Interreg2Seas) focused on climate resilience that provided budget for Capelle aan den IJssel municipality to implement climate-adaptive measures including Bufferblock installations.
- European Concrete Producers (Belgium, Germany, Ireland, UK)minorEU financial support enabled Bufferblock to develop relationships with concrete producers across Europe (Belgium, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom) interested in producing Bufferblocks. Feasibility study completed; prototype now productized.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Bufferblock competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Oldcastle Infrastructure: Oldcastle Infrastructure (CRH) is a major North American precast concrete manufacturer producing drainage structures, stormwater management systems, and utility products. It is a broad incumbent peer with comparable precast concrete stormwater products and shares beDrain's material and channel positioning.
- ACO Group: ACO is a global manufacturer of drainage channels, infiltration systems, and stormwater management products. It is a direct peer to beDrain, competing in the same municipal and civil engineering specification space with comparable modular concrete-based surface and subsurface water management solutions.
- Wavin: Wavin is one of the dominant suppliers of plastic infiltration crates (e.g., Q-Bic, Wavin Tegra) and stormwater management systems across Europe. It is the primary substitute competitor to beDrain, frequently specified in the same municipal tenders where Bufferblock competes on lifecycle and load-bearing grounds.
- Hydro International: Hydro International provides stormwater treatment, attenuation, and infiltration solutions including vortex separators and storage systems. It competes in the same municipal stormwater and flood management specification space as beDrain, particularly for integrated treatment-plus-storage projects.
- Mall GmbH: Mall GmbH is a German manufacturer of concrete stormwater management systems, separators, and infiltration units. It is a direct peer competing in the same concrete-based stormwater and rainwater treatment category, particularly relevant as beDrain expands into the German market via Berding Beton.
- Hauraton: Hauraton manufactures drainage channels, slot channels, and stormwater management systems for roads, parking areas, and urban infrastructure. It is a direct peer in the urban rainwater management category with overlapping municipal and civil engineering customer segments in Europe.
- Uponor Infra: Uponor Infra supplies plastic and composite stormwater systems, including infiltration and attenuation structures, across Europe. It is a direct substitute for beDrain's plastic-crate alternative and competes for the same municipal and civil engineering specifications.
Broad incumbents
- Sika AG: Sika is a global specialty chemicals company offering concrete admixtures, waterproofing systems, and sealants for infrastructure projects. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping exposure to stormwater and concrete infrastructure but does not produce modular buffer/infiltration products like beDrain.
Emerging players
- Permavoid: Permavoid produces plastic modular stormwater storage and attenuation units used under sports surfaces, roofs, and urban landscapes. It is an emerging competitor in the shallow-installation, high-capacity storage space where beDrain's concrete system also competes.
- 3P Technik Filtersysteme: 3P Technik provides rainwater harvesting, treatment, and infiltration products for residential, commercial, and municipal applications. It is an emerging peer overlapping with beDrain on rainwater storage, infiltration, and reuse use cases in European markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Bufferblock social profiles
Digital presenceBufferblock financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bufferblock leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Bufferblock funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bufferblock M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bufferblock
What does Bufferblock do?
Bufferblock designs, manufactures, and sells modular concrete block systems for urban stormwater management, marketed under the beDrain brand. The blocks are installed just below road surfaces to store (up to 271 L/m²), infiltrate, delay-drain, or enable reuse of rainwater, supporting heavy traffic loads. The company complements this core product with a portfolio of related climate-adaptive concrete products including water-storing pavement, underground rainwater purification, and linear drainage with filtration, sold primarily to municipalities and civil engineering firms in the Netherlands and select European countries.
Is Bufferblock a public or private company?
Bufferblock is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Bufferblock founded?
Bufferblock was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Bufferblock based?
Bufferblock is headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Bufferblock make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. beDrain/Bufferblock Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are climate Adaptation Solutions Portfolio.
Who are Bufferblock's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Oldcastle Infrastructure, ACO Group, Wavin, Hydro International, Mall GmbH, Hauraton and Uponor Infra. Sika AG is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are Permavoid and 3P Technik Filtersysteme.
Does Bufferblock have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bufferblock.
What industry is Bufferblock in?
Bufferblock's product category is Urban Stormwater Management Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAEAG, Roadway Drainage & Stormwater Works (Culverts, Ditches, Catch Basins), with a secondary code of EUANAEAI, Flood Control & Protection Infrastructure (Levees, Floodwalls, Gates, Pump Stations). Its NAICS code is 32733 and its SIC code is 3272.