Barnsley-based KBI UK has carved out a distinct place in the UK surfacing landscape since its formation in 2010, when it began supplying the British market with Flexipave, the porous surfacing system originally pioneered in the United States. From those early days, the business has steadily scaled into a national operation. A network of specialist installers now works alongside an expanded internal team, and the product portfolio has grown with them, with Flexistone arriving in 2012 to meet demand for a vehicular-grade porous surface, followed more recently by the R&D-led introductions of Flexifix, Flexiglo and Flexiglass.

A major milestone came in 2020, when KBI relocated from Halifax to purpose-built headquarters in Barnsley. Despite the challenges of a global pandemic, the move provided increased manufacturing capacity, improved motorway access and modern warehousing, placing the company in a stronger position to service the growing appetite for sustainable, permeable paving. 

Today, KBI systems are specified by housebuilders, local authorities, utilities, engineers, architects, golf courses, and leisure destinations, to name a few. Central to that broad appeal is the business’s long-held focus on sustainability. Flexipave incorporates recycled vehicle tyres as a key component, and some major schemes have diverted the equivalent of more than 15,000 tyres from incineration, preventing hundreds of thousands of kilograms of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere. This ethos underpins the company’s Green Partnership programme, which recognises clients who use Flexipave to support environmental goals.

It was this blend of technical expertise and purpose-led practice that recently aligned KBI with one of the North’s most significant healthcare projects: the new Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds. Officially opened by Prince William, the centre has become a symbol of compassion, community support and the powerful legacy of the late Leeds Rhinos legend. Designed by Leeds-based landscape architects Re-Form and built by principal contractor I&G Ltd, the project sought partners able to contribute specialist skills on a charitable basis. 

The company delivered 440m² of resin-bound surfacing, in an elegant Evening Rose blend supplied by long-term materials partner Vuba, across both the north and south elevations of the building. The installation supports accessible movement around the main entrance and weaves through the sensory garden and outdoor areas designed for patients and families. A dedicated five-person team carried out the works, including Anthony Irvine, former KBI project manager and now strategic partner, who once shared the pitch with Rob Burrow at Leeds.

“This project means a lot to us on both a personal and professional level,” said Graham Pell, Managing Director of KBI UK. “It’s a privilege to have contributed to such a vital and compassionate space. We’re grateful to Re-Form and I&G for involving us, and proud to support the legacy of a centre that will bring comfort, care, and community to so many.”

Commissioned by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and funded through Leeds Hospitals Charity’s £6.8 million appeal, the centre consolidates MND treatment, research and support services under one roof. Outdoor spaces, where materials and detailing play a critical therapeutic role, were an important consideration from the outset.

For KBI, the scheme reflects the kind of outcome the company has built its reputation upon: sustainable materials deployed with technical precision, contributing to places that are both purposeful and sensitively designed.