Interview of Mr. Michel Barré – A passionate of concept of Bamboo made in Madagascar
About BambooTech Madagascar (www.bambootech.mg)
BambooTech is a company in Madagascar that designs and carries out sustainable and high-quality construction projects using traditional bio-based and extremely resistant material.
BambooTech offers a catalogue of products ready to be installed but each product can be adapted according to the requirements and budget of the customers or tailor-made designed and realized. Their quality approach combined with a proven bamboo processing process guarantee their customers with a durable and robust final result that is weather-resistant and cyclone-resistant. Thanks to their aesthetics and their personalized designs, their creations are both original and unique.
BambooTech Madagascar operates in four main business areas namely:
- Design and building
- Production of building kits
- Manufacturing and supply of building materials
- Construction assistance and training
About Michel Barré
Mr. Michel Barré has a wide experience and skills acquired during his 41 years of careers in the Telecommunications industry where he served as CEO or board member in various companies. He is currently a consultant for companies in Telecommunication and the co-manager of BambooTech.
Mr. Barré who has lived in Madagascar for 4 years wishes to contribute to the development of the Red Island mainly in the technology sector. However, he has the chance to discover BambooTech Madagascar, a company which has both a technical dimension (through the construction) and an environmental dimension (through bamboo) and he began a passionate of Bamboo.
Interview of Mr. Michel Barré on BambooTech Madagascar
- Why have you decided to invest in BambooTech Madagascar?
It was a business friend in Madagascar who, as a subcontractor, managed BambooTech Madagascar who offered to be a partner with me as the founder wanted to sell the company.
I was particularly attracted by the technical and aesthetic qualities of bamboo, nicknamed "green steel" in some countries, and by its very wide possibilities for use in the field of construction.
- What is the company's biggest goal and what are its objectives?
BambooTech Madagascar is a construction company that uses processed bamboo combined with other natural materials, such as rice straw, to design and build buildings and structures for the residential housing, recreation, hotels and agriculture.
- What are the different products available?
BambooTech Madagascar offers a wide range of products: farm sheds and huts, bungalows, kiosks, gloriettes, carports, interior and exterior building fittings and dressings, ephemeral shelters for public performances (concerts, theatres, etc.)., outdoor games for communities.
- The bamboo that is used for the construction of high-end bungalows, frames, among others, how is it grown and how long does it take?
The Company collects the stems from a network with 150 farmers from northeastern Madagascar who grow bamboo. With them, it exploits three non-invasive bamboo species to respect the surrounding ecological balance, knowing that it takes between 3 and 5 years to obtain bamboo stems of sufficient length and diameter to be used as a material.
This partnership with farmers is part of a voluntary CSR approach by providing them with an alternative source of income to the exploitation of the traditional forest that is threatened with extinction.
Once harvested, the bamboo stems are immersed for eight days in a bath of boric acid and borax, then dried in the open air for 2 to 3 months. This makes it possible to obtain an imperishable material with a minimum lifespan of 25 to 30 years.
- Who are the customers of BambooTech Madagascar?
The clients are both individuals and businesses, for example in the hospitality or agriculture sectors. Most of our contacts are obtained at fairs, but word of mouth also plays an important role.
- Does the company have the intention to develop new products with bamboo?
The possibilities of using bamboo are very wide, so develop new products monthly as our knowhow develop.