Tatler’s In-Depth Interview with Hydroseal

What can waterproofing reveal about entrepreneurship?

Hydroseal co-founder and General Manager Yang Mu-Jung has spent more than 30 years protecting valuable assets through BayBrane® waterproofing and uncompromising workmanship. Today, his three sons are carrying the same principles forward.

In May, the Rain Museum opened at Xiangti Plaza in Taipei’s Xinyi District. Artworks were displayed under continuous water, yet remained undamaged for three days under BayBrane® protection. The installation demonstrated Hydroseal’s waterproofing performance in a direct and memorable way.

Founded in 1993, Hydroseal introduced BayBrane® waterproofing from Germany to Taiwan in 1999. The system has since been used in public infrastructure and on exposed building surfaces to provide continuous protection.

Over the past two decades, Hydroseal has worked on Taiwan High Speed Rail, Kaohsiung Metro, and Singapore’s first ecological bridge. These projects gradually built long-term client trust.

Building for the long term

Although Hydroseal is now well established and active overseas, Yang says the original goal was simple: build a business that could support the family.

At the beginning, Chairwoman Tseng Su-Li contributed NT$100,000 in savings and set two rules: no unnecessary social entertaining and no cutting corners. The purpose was to build a company that could last.

Yang believes waterproofing directly affects lives and property, so careless work is unacceptable. He treated his wife’s principles as the company’s highest operating standards.

These values helped Hydroseal form partnerships with like-minded companies. In 2007, BayBrane® was applied to Taiwan High Speed Rail bridge piers to reduce the impact of river erosion on protective structures.

That project became a turning point, leading to more major work in Taiwan and overseas.

Everything must meet the highest standard

After three decades, all three sons joined the family business. Yang Sen-Hsi leads marketing and client communication and proposed the Rain Museum. Yang Sen-Kuei works with his father on project sites, while Yang Chao-Heng manages administration and finance.

Yang Sen-Kuei says his father personally checks every detail, from materials to final installation. The same strictness applies to the next generation.

Construction often offers no second chance. A small mistake can cause irreversible consequences, so the standard is not simply passing—it is getting the work right.

Care and pride behind strict expectations

Yang taught his sons to follow an honest path, avoid shortcuts, and remain accountable to clients and project owners.

Despite his strict standards, he is proud of their progress. When Yang Sen-Hsi proposed the Rain Museum, he listened to the full plan, supported it, and shared his technical experience.

He also understands the pressure Yang Sen-Kuei faces on construction sites and passes on everything he knows. His youngest son, Yang Chao-Heng, is developing his own working methods and bringing new ideas into the company.

Moving forward

Yang notes that many Taiwanese small and medium-sized businesses survive for only about 13 years. Keeping Hydroseal operating for more than 30 years required constant care and discipline.

BayBrane® is more than a waterproof coating. Hydroseal aims for protection lasting 20, 30, or even more years, which requires strict control of every detail.

For Hydroseal, BayBrane® represents not only a material, but also the company’s culture.

“Engineering integrity” is the value Yang most often passes on to his sons. Yang Sen-Kuei says they must maintain professional standards without forgetting the principles of how to work and how to conduct themselves.