EBS MAC® FE: A Modular Flood Barrier System Built for Rapid Emergency Response

When flood risk strikes, response time makes all the difference. Officine Maccaferri offers EBS MAC® FE, a specialized version of its defensive barrier systems engineered specifically for flood protection and emergency response.

Built for the moment that matters

The EBS MAC® FE system combines Maccaferri's decades of engineering expertise with a simple promise: rapid, reliable protection when communities and infrastructure need it most. Its modular, pre-assembled design allows crews to unfold, position, and fill each unit with locally available materials — no specialized equipment or extensive training required.

Unlike traditional sandbag barriers, EBS MAC® FE units are fully reusable. Once an emergency has passed, they can be emptied, dismantled, and stored for future deployments — reducing waste and long-term operational costs while supporting more sustainable flood management practices

Tested and validated by the US Army Corps of Engineers

Performance, at Maccaferri, is never assumed — it is tested and verified. The EBS MAC® FE system was evaluated by the US Army Corps of Engineers (ERDC) under controlled laboratory conditions simulating real flood scenarios, including:

- Hydrostatic pressure resistance
- Wave loading (small, medium, and large)
- Overtopping conditions
- Debris impact resistance
- Seepage performance measurement

The results confirm what field teams already know: EBS MAC® FE performs when it counts, with no structural failure recorded under extreme test conditions and stable behavior with no sliding observed.

Why it matters

For decades, sandbags have been the default emergency flood barrier — despite being slow to deploy, labor-intensive, and single-use. EBS MAC® FE offers a genuine alternative:

- Rapid deployment — pre-assembled modular units enable fast installation during emergency situations
- Easy installation - simply unfold, position, and fill with locally available materials
- Reusable and sustainable - modules can be dismantled, stored, and redeployed for future events
- Proven performance - independently tested and validated by USACE ERDC

A holistic approach to emergency management

EBS MAC® FE is part of Maccaferri's broader commitment to disaster recovery, monitoring, and prevention, a legacy that dates back to the 1890s, when the company carried out emergency repairs on a breached dam in Casalecchio di Reno, Italy. Today, that same expertise underpins a comprehensive approach to emergency management, combining recovery, monitoring, and prevention to help communities build long-term resilience.

As climate-related flood events grow more frequent and intense, EBS MAC® FE gives local authorities, emergency responders, and infrastructure managers a faster, smarter, and more sustainable way to protect what matters most.

Want to learn more? Watch our webinar, EBS MAC® FE: Fast and Sustainable Solutions for Emergency Flood Protection.