The ActiveBlock Method

About Us

About Company

Our Proud History:
Euro Building Technology

Henk Mensen, is Chairman and founder of EuroBuildingTechnology (EBT) has been in the building trade for over 30 years.

As a young Dutch Engineer working in North America he first came across an innovative energy efficient construction system called ICF (Insulated Concrete Formwork).

ICF are insulated molds for pouring concrete. In this construction method, the insulation panels are also used as molds for the casting of concrete and combine the strength and durability of the concrete hand in hand with the enormous insulation efficiency of the expanded polystyrene/Neopor.

Core Values

  • Innovation
  • Environmentally responsible
  • Health and Safety
  • Easy and flexible
  • Speedy and Clean Building
  • Low cost/economical
  • Durability

Henk Mensen
EBT Patent

A significant breakthrough in the field of ICF occurred when Henk Mansen had a work accident and lay in the hospital for a long time. Henk realized that he would no longer return to work with the traditional method of carrying and placing bricks and blocks... When he left the hospital and inspired by the platinum in his legs, Henk developed a pattern with unique internal connectors and interconnecting EPS blocks

Beyond the place of insulation and durability, Hank's patent resulted in a reduction in labour costs and savings in finishing costs.

Henk Mansen formed his first company AAB of which he won excellence awards for the patent. Around the world they build with this wonderful method under the brands ABB, BIUE, ARXX, EBS and ActiveBlock.

His first new-innovative-technology building project took into account all the problems inherent in construction using EPS blocks. He started AAB Building Systems in 1992, the predecessor of ActiveBlock. He chose to take the forms and polypropylene fasteners manufactured by existing companies, designed and assembled them in his own way..
Customers were delighted by the built-in energy efficiency and simple customization which defined Henk’s product approach.

Henk Mensel

FOUNDER

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Our History

Early Success and International Growth

1992-2023

Henk and EBT focused on marketing his products in Canada. Word quickly spread however and his innovative system quickly caught the attention of visitors from the all over the world.

This lead to him launching a chain of offices in the United States and a contract for $100 million USD with a consortium of leading Japanese construction companies in 1994.

This early unplanned success of EBT was repeated in other Asian and Latin America countries. The versatility designed into the EBT system helped overcome a number of adverse conditions which plagued local housing construction in various countries including for example, lack of wood or similar materials for construction, the impact of aging workers and the extreme temperatures, susceptibility to earthquakes and typhoons and hurricanes. And of course, there was no consistency between countries on building and construction codes. EBT adapted their products to all these situations.