KB International

What KB International does

KB International is a privately held specialty chemical company founded in 1992 and headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, that develops and manufactures synthetic polymer slurries and stabilization systems for deep earth excavations. The company's proprietary technology replaces traditional bentonite clay with engineered polymer systems that form synthetic membranes on excavation sidewalls, providing borehole stability, fluid loss control, and superior skin friction for load-bearing foundations. Its product platform centers on the SlurryPRO CDP base fluid and the SlurrySMART integrated system, complemented by specialized products for distinct use cases (CoreSMART for mineral coring, PolyCUT for hydromill/cutter operations, SlurrySMART HDD for horizontal directional drilling) and a portfolio of 10 specialty additives addressing specific drilling challenges such as saltwater contamination, fluid loss, and low-cohesion soils. The company also markets testing equipment including a Venturi Mixer, Down Hole Slurry Sampler, and Portable Slurry Lab for on-site slurry quality monitoring.

The technology is protected by four US patents plus corresponding international filings and a suite of registered trademarks. KB International generates revenue through project-based sales of its chemical products and equipment to enterprise foundation drilling contractors worldwide. Its go-to-market combines direct sales in key markets (Australia, Dubai) with distributor/agent partnerships across other regions, supported by a global warehouse network spanning eight strategic locations across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and South Asia. The company provides field representatives who embed with project teams and conducts "mud schools" technical training to drive product adoption and specification lock-in.

The company serves enterprise customers in the deep foundation, diaphragm wall, tunnel, and mineral coring segments of geo-construction, with a named customer roster including BAUER, Skanska, Kiewit Foundations Group, Keller, Quanta Services, Bilfinger Berger, Trevi, and Cementation, with marquee project references including Kingdom Tower (Saudi Arabia), Panama Canal Berth 10 expansion, Taiwan High Speed Rail, and the London Northern Line Extension. The business is family-owned, with co-founder Ken Goodhue serving as owner setting strategic direction, and his son Gif Goodhue serving as Director of Technology and primary patent holder.

Name

KB International

Legal name

KB International LLC

Website

https://kbtech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KB International, founded in 1992 and headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, manufactures synthetic polymer slurries that replace bentonite in deep earth excavations. The company serves enterprise foundation drilling contractors globally across drilled shafts, diaphragm walls, tunnels, and mineral coring applications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Chemicals

NAICS

Ground or Treated Mineral and Earth Manufacturing (327992)

akta.pro primary industry

Bentonite & Other Smectite Clays (IMAEAFAE)

Keywords

• Synthetic polymer slurries
• Drilling fluids
• Foundation stabilization
• Mineral coring fluids
• Soil stabilization additives

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Polymer Products and Drilling Fluids Sales: KB International generates revenue through the sale of synthetic polymer slurries, additives, and drilling fluid systems for deep earth excavations. The company sells products directly to drilling contractors and through distributors in various regions. Products include base fluids (SlurryPRO CDP), packaged systems (SlurrySMART, CoreSMART), specialized additives (EnhancIT 100/200, ProTEK 100, InstaFREEZE), and testing equipment.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

KB International manufactures and sells synthetic polymer slurries, integrated drilling fluid systems, specialty additives, and field testing equipment used to stabilize deep earth excavations including drilled shafts, diaphragm walls, tunnels, and mineral coring operations. The products replace traditional bentonite clay slurries with proprietary polymer chemistry that forms a synthetic membrane on excavation sidewalls, controlling fluid loss and providing stability across diverse soil and groundwater conditions.

Product overview

KB International is the global leader in synthetic polymer slurries and stabilization systems for deep earth excavations. The company operates a platform-plus-products architecture with its core SlurryPRO CDP System serving as the primary base fluid, supported by the SlurrySMART integrated package and specialized products including CoreSMART for mineral coring, PolyCUT for hydromill applications, and SlurrySMART HDD for horizontal directional drilling. The product portfolio includes 10 specialty additives (EnhancIT 100/200, ProTEK 100, InstaFREEZE, ImPAC, KobbleBLOK, Magma Fiber, SandSEAL, HydroCUT, SlurryPRO MPA) that address specific drilling challenges, plus testing equipment (Venturi Mixer, Down Hole Slurry Sampler, Portable Slurry Lab) for on-site fluid quality monitoring. The company serves construction markets including drilled shafts, diaphragm walls, tunnels, and mineral coring across North and South America, Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SlurryPro CDP System: KB's primary base fluid and viscosifying agent polymer designed for drilling applications in various soil and water conditions.
• SlurrySMART
• CoreSMART
• PolyCUT
• SlurrySMART HDD

Products and services

• SlurryPRO CDP System Primary base fluid and viscosifying agent polymer designed to perform in a variety of soil and water conditions. Forms a synthetic membrane on excavation sidewalls controlling fluid loss and providing excavation stability, with consistent thickness over time and rapid removal by concrete during placement for excellent skin friction.
• SlurrySMART Combined polymer system packaging a standard dosage of the Enhanced System (SlurryPRO CDP, EnhancIT 100, and EnhancIT 200) into one product. Forms a synthetic membrane on sidewalls during excavation, controls fluid loss, and provides excavation stability without the filter cake buildup of bentonite.
• CoreSMART Single-bag SMART polymer mineral coring fluid that envelops the core surface with a protective polymeric shield during cutting. Repels water, prevents clay swelling, reduces torque and rod chatter, improves bit life, and delivers high core recovery at elevated temperatures.
• PolyCUT Complete drilling fluid designed for use with cutters or HydroCUT Additives, especially effective in saltwater environments. Builds viscosity and controls fluid loss in presence of multiple contaminants including saltwater and marine clay, and controls clay and shale buildup on cutting drums and teeth of hydromills.
• SlurrySMART HDD Innovative polymer drilling solution designed for the HDD market. Mixes easily in 500-gallon tanks, maintains viscosity without shearing, offers excellent lubrication and bit ball prevention for bores up to 12 inches in diameter.
• EnhancIT 100 Water-soluble, light tan, free-flowing powdered material that serves as the primary fluid loss additive for the Enhanced System, assisting in gel membrane formation.
• EnhancIT 200 Water-soluble, light tan, free-flowing powdered material that serves as the primary solids control additive for the Enhanced System, assisting in gel membrane formation.
• SlurryPRO MPA Synthetic polymer in liquid form that forms a more tenacious and less permeable polymeric membrane at the formation interface and promotes soft grouting effect in porous soils.
• ProTEK 100 Chelating agent that removes hardness, iron, magnesium, and calcium from water and rejuvenates polymer damaged by carbonate alkalinity, seawater, or cationic contamination.
• InstaFREEZE Clear heavy liquid that converts the soft-grouting effect of SlurryPro membrane in low cohesion soils to a more persistent and stronger chemical grout, increasing soil stability in challenging soils.
• ImPAC Specialty dry-form polymer that increases strength of fluid membranes and soft grout attributes in low cohesion soils while controlling fluid loss by strengthening the membrane.
• KobbleBLOK Specialty polymer that rapidly swells to form deformable globules which seek porous zones and help control fluid loss by filling larger pores or voids.
• Magma Fiber Mineral fiber for heavy fluid loss situations that clings to sidewalls and acts as a plug in porous soils to prevent fluid escape and provide increased sidewall stability. Available in coarse or fine grind.
• SandSEAL Synthetically modified colloid in dry form that works with KB polymer systems to form a less permeable membrane on sidewalls, preventing or reducing fluid loss into the formation.
• HydroCUT

Quantifiable outcome

• 90-100% core recovery achieved at Vale Coal Mine in Mozambique at 600 meters depth
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mapei: Mapei is a global construction chemicals manufacturer with extensive ground engineering and underground construction offerings that overlap with KB International's slurry and stabilization systems, though Mapei operates a much broader product portfolio.
• GCP Applied Technologies: GCP Applied Technologies (now part of Saint-Gobain) develops specialty construction chemicals including concrete admixtures and waterproofing products that address infrastructure challenges adjacent to KB International's ground stabilization portfolio.
• Master Builders Solutions (BASF): BASF's Master Builders Solutions brand supplies admixtures, grouts, and underground construction chemicals used in deep foundation and tunneling projects, comparable in end-use applications to KB International's polymer slurry systems.
• Sika: Sika is a global specialty chemicals company serving construction and infrastructure markets, with products that span concrete, waterproofing, and ground stabilization adjacent to KB International's drilling fluid portfolio.
• Holcim Solutions and Products: Holcim's Solutions and Products division supplies specialty binders, grouts, and ground engineering products for foundation and tunneling projects, broadly comparable to KB International's polymer slurry offerings in construction end markets.

Direct peers

• Condat: Condat develops specialty lubricants and drilling fluids for tunneling, microtunneling, and foundation works, overlapping directly with KB International's PolyCUT, SlurrySMART HDD, and SlurryPRO CDP offerings.
• Baroid Industrial Drilling Products (Halliburton): Baroid supplies drilling fluids and slurry systems for industrial, mining, and construction projects worldwide, competing with KB International in polymer-based and bentonite-based excavation stabilization solutions.
• Minova (Orica): Minova, an Orica company, provides specialty chemical products and ground engineering solutions for mining, tunneling, and civil construction, competing in the same drilling fluid and rock stabilization categories as KB International.
• Cebo Holland: Cebo Holland manufactures specialty drilling fluids and additives for foundation, HDD, and geothermal applications, directly overlapping with KB International's SlurryPRO CDP, SlurrySMART, and CoreSMART product lines.
• CETCO (Mineral Technologies): CETCO, a brand of Minerals Technologies Inc., is the leading global supplier of bentonite-based drilling fluids and a primary substitute competitor in the same drilled shaft, diaphragm wall, and tunneling applications served by KB International.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kb_technologies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kb-international-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KB International