Soben International
Soben International is a Hong Kong-headquartered manufacturer of fire-resistant calcium silicate and fibre cement building boards, selling through regional offices across Asia Pacific, EMEA, and Oceania to construction contractors, governments, and developers. Founded 1998, its products are deployed in airports, tunnels, theme parks, and major infrastructure projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersKowloon City, Hong Kong SAR China
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Soben International does
Soben International (Asia Pacific) Ltd is a Hong Kong-headquartered manufacturer of fire-resistant and eco-friendly building boards, founded in 1998 with a central manufacturing base in China (PRC). The company's core technology is autoclaved cellulose fibre reinforced silicate matrix and fibre cement board production, producing non-combustible boards (certified to EN ISO 13501-1 Class A1) with fire resistance up to 360 minutes. Its product portfolio is organised into three categories: Passive Fire Constructions (FP-900/FirePro, FP-Steel/FirePro-S, MP-1000/MultiPro), Multi-Purposed Constructions (NuPanel/NuClad, WeatherPan, WeatherPro-L, Artistic Ceiling), and Façades, Claddings & Floorings (WeatherPro-Plus with ZenPlus/SagePlus/CityPlus variants, WeatherPlank, WeatherPro-CP, JD-Panel).
The company sells primarily through direct sales via five regional offices (Hong Kong/Asia Pacific, Australia, UK/EMEA, Korea, Singapore) complemented by an authorised distributor recruitment program. Customers include multi-national contractors, government infrastructure projects, commercial and residential developers, and distributors/importers. Notable deployments span Beijing Olympics 2008 venues, Hong Kong and Shanghai Disneylands, Changi Airport, Seletar Airport, Hong Kong Government HQ, Nonghyup Bank Tower Korea, and Macau tunnel infrastructure. All products carry third-party certifications including Certifire (Warrington Certification Limited), CE Mark, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and Green Label certifications from Hong Kong Green Council and Singapore Environmental Council.
Soben International is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or revenue figures. The company is founder/management operated, with 11-50 employees, and no public listing. The JD-Panel line was co-developed with Kyolite Japan for the Japanese market, and the technical team maintains ASFP membership for ongoing fire engineering upskilling. The business model is hardware sales of building materials on a quote-based, multi-year contract cadence through regional offices or authorised distributors.
Soben International firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Soben International
- Legal name
- Soben International (Asia Pacific) Ltd
- Website
- https://sobenboard.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Soben International is a Hong Kong-headquartered manufacturer of fire-resistant calcium silicate and fibre cement building boards, selling through regional offices across Asia Pacific, EMEA, and Oceania to construction contractors, governments, and developers. Founded 1998, its products are deployed in airports, tunnels, theme parks, and major infrastructure projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Soben International industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fire-Resistant Building Boards
- NAICS
- Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255)
- SIC
- Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cellulose (Recycled Fiber) Insulation (IMADAGAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Cellulose-Based Biodegradable Materials (cellulose films, fibers, derivatives) (IMAEAOAE)
Keywords
Where Soben International is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kowloon City
- HQ country
- Hong Kong SAR China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices5 records
Markets served
Soben International business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Building Materials Manufacturing and Sales: Soben International manufactures and sells fire-resistant building boards and eco-friendly building boards to multi-national contractors, corporations, distributors, and importers. Products include calcium silicate boards, fibre cement boards, and prefabricated panels for passive fire protection, façades, claddings, and multi-purpose construction applications.
- Product Range Sales: Revenue generated from selling best-selling brands WeatherPro®-L and FP®-900/FirePro® along with the full product portfolio including FP Steel/FirePro-S, MP-1000/MultiPro, NuPanel/NuClad, WeatherPan, WeatherPlank, and JD-Panel products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Direct sales to corporations, distributors, and importers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Soben International product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Soben International manufactures eco-friendly autoclaved cellulose fibre reinforced silicate matrix boards and high-performance fibre cement building boards. Its product range covers passive fire protection boards (calcium silicate), multi-purpose construction boards, and façade/cladding/flooring panels, sold to construction contractors, developers, government infrastructure projects, and authorised distributors across Asia-Pacific, UK/EMEA, North America, and Oceania.
Product overview
Soben International is a manufacturer of eco-friendly autoclaved cellulose fibre reinforced silicate matrix boards and high-performance fibre cement building boards. Its product portfolio is organized into three main categories: (1) Passive Fire Constructions — including FP®-900/FirePro®, FP®-Steel/FirePro®-S, and MP-1000®/MultiPro® for fire-rated structural steel protection, ventilation ducts, partitions, ceilings, floors, and doors; (2) Multi-Purposed Constructions — including NuPanel®/NuClad®, WeatherPan®, WeatherPro®-L, and Artistic Ceiling® for noise barriers, green roofs, fencing, and modular construction; and (3) Façades, Claddings & Floorings — including WeatherPro®-Plus Cladding (with ZenPlus, SagePlus, CityPlus variants), WeatherPlank®/WeatherPro® 3D Panel, WeatherPro®-CP, and JD-Panel® for external cladding, rain screens, tunnel linings, and floor decking. All products are based on calcium silicate and fibre cement technologies, are non-combustible (EN 13501-1 Euro Class A1), CE marked, and certified under ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and various Green Label programmes. The company operates manufacturing in China (PRC) with offices serving Hong Kong/Southeast Asia, UK/EMEA, Canada, USA, Australia, Europe, Korea, and Singapore.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- WeatherPro: Weather resistant fibre cement product line including WeatherPro-L, WeatherPro-CP, WeatherPro-Plus Cladding, WeatherPro 3D Panel
- FP-900/FirePro
- MP-1000/MultiPro
- NuPanel/NuClad
- JD-Panel
- WeatherPan
- FP-Steel/FirePro-S
- WeatherPlank
- Artistic Ceiling
- ZenPlus
- SagePlus
- CityPlus
Products and services
- FP®-900/FirePro® Fire-rated calcium silicate board providing fire resistance for structural steel, ventilation ducts, ceilings, floors, and partitions. Tested to BS 476: Part 21, EN 13381-4, and certified up to 240 minutes fire rating. Used by contractors for passive fire protection applications.
- FP®-Steel/FirePro®-S Composite panel with galvanised steel sheets bonded to a fibre-reinforced cement core, offering fire, blast, and severe impact resistance. Certified up to 360 minutes fire rating per BS 476: Part 20-24 and EN 1364-1 & 2, with blast resistance to 300 kN/m2 air blast pressure. Used in high-risk infrastructure and industrial facilities.
- MP-1000®/MultiPro® Eco-friendly autoclaved calcium silicate board for internal and semi-exposed use, offering fire resistance up to 120 minutes, moisture resistance, and non-combustibility per EN 13501-1 Euro Class A1. Used in partitions, ceilings, fire-rated doors, and acoustic constructions.
- WeatherPro®-L Weather-resistant fibre cement board for external and semi-exposed applications. Non-combustible (EN 13501-1 Euro Class A1), CE marked, certified under BS EN 12467 Category A sheet. Used for facades, claddings, flooring, and breakable smoke vent hatches.
- WeatherPro®-Plus Cladding (ZenPlus, SagePlus, CityPlus) Highly compressed high-density fibre cement reinforced calcium silicate cladding board for high-performance facade applications. Non-combustible (BS 476: Part 4, EN 13501-1 Euro Class A1), CE marked, Category A sheet per BS EN 12467. Available in ZenPlus (through-coloured), SagePlus (nano ceramic paint), and CityPlus (fluorocarbon coating) finish lines.
- NuPanel®/NuClad® Autoclaved calcium silicate board for internal and semi-exposed use, offering fire resistance up to 90 minutes, moisture resistance, and acoustic insulation. Non-combustible per EN 13501-1 Euro Class A1, Category C sheet per BS EN 12467. Used in partitions, ceilings, wall linings, and decorative applications.
- WeatherPan® External grade fibre cement faced lightweight concrete panel (facing + expanded polystyrene bead concrete core). Provides fire rating up to 120/240 minutes, acoustic insulation, water tightness, and impact resistance. Weight is 1/5 to 1/7 of traditional 120mm masonry wall.
- WeatherPlank®/WeatherPro® 3D Panel Autoclaved fibre cement reinforced calcium silicate board with embossed wood-like or stone-like texture for internal and external use. Non-combustible (EN 13501-1 Euro Class A1), CE marked, Category A sheet per BS EN 12467. Weather-resistant, impact-resistant, and suitable for wet environments.
- JD-Panel® Non-combustible cellulose fibre reinforced calcium silicate board coated with Japanese proprietary high-strength modified polyurethane resin (developed with Kyolite Japan). Eco-friendly, water-resistant, fungal-resistant, and chemically inert. Used as a substitute for ceramic tiles, wallpaper, and high-pressure laminate panels in renovations.
- WeatherPro®-CP Weather-resistant fibre cement board variant for external applications including cladding and floor decking. Non-combustible, certified to ASTM C1185, AS/NZS 2908.2, and BS EN 12467. Used in facades, rain screens, tunnel claddings, and floor decking applications.
- Artistic Ceiling® Eco-friendly autoclaved calcium silicate matrix board ceiling tile system. Non-combustible per EN 13501-1 Euro Class A1, available in Acoustic, Textured, and Coloured series. Designed for commercial and industrial ceilings with acoustic treatment, moisture resistance, and thermal insulation properties.
Quantifiable outcome
- Fire resistance performance up to 360 minutes certified to BS 476: Part 20-24 and BS EN 1364-1 & 2
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Soben International
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Soben International technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Soben International partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Kyolite JapancoreKyolite Japan, a leading pre-finished panel manufacturer specialised in advanced coating technology since 1933 in Japan, co-developed JD-Panel with Soben International. JD-Panel is a non-combustible cellulose fibre reinforced calcium silicate board coated with Japanese proprietary high strength modified polyurethane resin that provides fresh and neat colour tone with crystal appearance.
- Certifire (Warrington Certification Limited)coreCertifire is an independent third party certification scheme for manufacturers that assures performance, quality, reliability and traceability of fire protection products. Recognised by regulatory authorities worldwide, it is an internationally respected mark of fire safety.
- ASFP (Association for Specialist Fire Protection)minorASFP is UK's leading trade association relating to 'Built-In' fire protection, working with Government, regulatory and international standard setting bodies to promote continuous improvement in passive fire protection. Soben International's technical team upskills through ASFP membership.
- University Research InstitutesminorSoben International collaborates with research institutes of universities for new material technology applications that help strengthen production and continuously refine products, particularly in fire resisting construction.
- Supreme EcoformminorSupreme Ecoform serves as the authorised distributor for Soben International products in Hong Kong & Macau regions, located at Unit 10B, Chow Shing Kee Commercial Building, Kowloon.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Soben International competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Etex Group: Belgian building materials group that owns Promat (passive fire protection) and Equitone/Siniat fibre cement cladding lines; competes with Soben across both calcium silicate fire boards and fibre cement façades as part of a much broader portfolio.
- Saint-Gobain: Global diversified building materials group with fire-protection boards, façade systems, and insulation products that overlap with Soben's portfolio across European and Asian markets as part of a much wider offering.
- Knauf: Global building materials group that acquired USG; produces gypsum, fibre cement, and fire-rated boards overlapping with Soben's multi-purpose and fire-protection product lines as part of a broad portfolio.
Direct peers
- Beijing New Building Materials (BNBM): China's largest building materials group (subsidiary of CNBM/Sinoma) manufacturing gypsum board, mineral wool, and fibre cement products that compete with Soben across Asian commercial and residential construction.
- Promat International: Passive fire protection specialist manufacturing calcium silicate and fire-rated boards for structural steel, ducts, partitions, and ceilings — essentially the same product category as Soben's FP-900/FirePro, FP-Steel/FirePro-S, and MultiPro lines.
- Nichiha Corporation: Japanese manufacturer of fibre cement and ceramic cladding boards for external façades, with product positioning and aesthetics closely aligned to Soben's WeatherPro-Plus Cladding line, including the JD-Panel co-development with Kyolite Japan.
- James Hardie Industries: Global leader in fibre cement building products for façades, claddings, and panels, directly competing with Soben's WeatherPro, WeatherPro-Plus, WeatherPan, and WeatherPlank product families across Australia, North America, and Europe.
- Boral Limited: Australian building products manufacturer with fibre cement panels, cladding systems, and construction materials, overlapping directly with Soben's WeatherPro family and Australian regional distribution.
Regional players
- CSR Limited: Australian building materials group (now part of Heidelberg Materials) producing fibre cement, plasterboard, and insulation systems; comparable product mix to Soben but primarily focused on the Australian/NZ market.
Emerging players
- Everest Industries: Indian manufacturer of fibre cement boards, panels, and steel building solutions; comparable product mix to Soben's WeatherPro and WeatherPan lines but focused primarily on the South Asian market.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Soben International social profiles
Digital presenceSoben International compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Soben International financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Soben International leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Soben International funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Soben International M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Soben International
What does Soben International do?
Soben International manufactures eco-friendly autoclaved cellulose fibre reinforced silicate matrix boards and high-performance fibre cement building boards. Its product range covers passive fire protection boards (calcium silicate), multi-purpose construction boards, and façade/cladding/flooring panels, sold to construction contractors, developers, government infrastructure projects, and authorised distributors across Asia-Pacific, UK/EMEA, North America, and Oceania.
Is Soben International a public or private company?
Soben International is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Soben International founded?
Soben International was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Soben International based?
Soben International is headquartered in Kowloon City, Hong Kong SAR China, in the Asia region.
How does Soben International make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Building Materials Manufacturing and Sales are the primary driver. The others are product Range Sales.
Who are Soben International's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Etex Group, Saint-Gobain and Knauf. Direct peers are Beijing New Building Materials (BNBM), Promat International, Nichiha Corporation, James Hardie Industries and Boral Limited. CSR Limited is listed as a regional player. Everest Industries is listed as an emerging player.
Does Soben International have an API?
No public API is recorded for Soben International.
What industry is Soben International in?
Soben International's product category is Fire-Resistant Building Boards. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADAGAC, Cellulose (Recycled Fiber) Insulation, with a secondary code of IMAEAOAE, Cellulose-Based Biodegradable Materials (cellulose films, fibers, derivatives). Its NAICS code is 3255 and its SIC code is 2820.