Blanquefort (France), October 6, 2025 – Building on its long-standing expertise in termite control, Groupe Berkem is bringing artificial intelligence to pest management professionals with NOVATERM®. This patented connected bait enables remote detection of subterranean termite colonies.
“The NOVATERM® project required significant investment and represented a genuine challenge, which our teams successfully overcame. At Groupe Berkem, we firmly believe that artificial intelligence can transform everyday life in pest control: it allows us to anticipate and better organize interventions while optimizing the use of termiticides,” said Olivier FAHY, Chairman and CEO of Groupe Berkem.
NOVATERM® stations contain cellulose cartridges impregnated with a highly attractive anti-termite solution and automatically detect termite activity. When significant activity is identified in a trap, an alert is sent via the NOVATERM® app, prompting professionals to intervene to check the station.
Operating without Wi-Fi thanks to a self-sufficient system, each station records data that is processed using mathematical models. Artificial intelligence enhances the system by analyzing variables such as temperature, atmospheric pressure, location, and field observations to determine what standard behavior should look like. Alerts are triggered only in cases of true deviation, ensuring targeted interventions and accurate monitoring via the NOVATERM® application.
To minimize its environmental footprint, NOVATERM® integrates Groupe Berkem’s patented SYNERKEM® technology, based on plant extracts. This “booster effect” reduces the amount of biocidal active substances required while increasing their effectiveness.
The global cost of termite damage is estimated at over €37.6 billion per year, including approximately €4.7 billion in the United States alone (Wilson & Forse study, 2024).
“With NOVATERM®, our ambition goes far beyond the French market,” explained Lionel LEGROS, Sales & Marketing Director of the Hygiene & Protection Business area. “We aim to support professionals in the regions most affected by termite challenges, such as the United States, Southeast Asia, Australia and Japan. This technology has the potential to revolutionize pest control on a global scale.”
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ABOUT GROUPE BERKEM
Groupe Berkem is an industrial SME specializing in specialty chemicals since 1964. It employs over 250 people across Europe and operates five production sites in Dordogne (24), Lot-et-Garonne (47), Gironde (33), Eure-et-Loir (28), and Valencia (Spain). The Group, headquartered in Blanquefort (33), markets products developed by its R&D laboratories and manufactured at its production sites. These products serve professional clients across four business areas: Construction & Materials, Hygiene & Protection, Health, Beauty & Nutrition, and Industry. Highly committed to eco-responsibility, the company actively contributes to the ecological transition, notably by integrating plant-based chemistry with conventional chemical players.