An innovative manufacturer which has attracted the attention of a string of celebrities has moved into new headquarters in Hull’s Fruit Market.
Vuba, listed as the fastest-growing manufacturer in Europe over the last decade by The Financial Times, has chosen the @TheDock tech campus as its perfect new home.
The business is a UK leader in hi-tech, permeable surfacing solutions commonly used on driveways and in gardens, and boasts a host of celebrity fans, including singer Olly Murs and former football manager and TV personality Harry Redknapp.
Moving from its existing headquarters in Beverley, Vuba has taken the entire 11,000 sq ft building which completed Hull’s @TheDock development, with an exciting fit-out planned including an amphitheatre-style seating area, a gym and contemporary meeting and collaboration spaces.
It means @TheDock is fully let, underlining the success of more than a decade of investment by leading commercial property developer Wykeland Group to create one of the UK’s most innovative and vibrant tech communities.
Vuba Managing Director Sean Scott said: “Our move to @TheDock is a real statement of intent. It represents our growth as a forward-thinking digital business, and recognises us as a major employer and an exciting place to work.
“We’re delighted to be relocating to the Fruit Market, contributing to what we think is Hull’s most vibrant and sought-after community.
“It’s a fitting reward for our staff, who have played such a significant role in the business growing to where it is today. We wanted to provide the team with a quality place to work and, in our new office, we have achieved exactly that.”
Vuba was founded by Sean in 2009, and achieved £2m in sales within the first two years, with a team of just five people.
Today, Vuba is a multi-award-winning pioneer and manufacturer of permeable surfacing, and in 2023 and 2024 was named among the UK’s fastest-growing companies by The Sunday Times.
The company has expanded its operations to reach 15 countries across Europe, as well as establishing a presence in the North American market.
Boasting more than 1.8 million followers across social media, the business has attracted the attention of a string of celebrities. Singer Olly Murs, TV personality Mark Wright and his wife, actress Michelle Keegan, ex-footballer Peter Crouch and his model wife Abbey Clancy, and husband and wife Love Island stars Alex and Olivia Bowen are among Vuba’s high-profile customers.
Vuba also recently supplied a driveway for former football manager and I’m A Celebrity King of the Jungle Harry Redknapp. After the installation of the high-end VubaMac driveway at Harry and wife Sandra’s home in the exclusive Sandbanks area on the south coast, the ex-West Ham, Portsmouth and Tottenham boss travelled to Beverley to take charge of a Vuba staff football team.
Relocating adjacent to C4DI will enable Vuba to forge stronger connections with the city’s tech community. It will help the business retain and attract talent, with the location within the thriving Fruit Market urban village a key recruitment advantage.
The move will accelerate the company’s digital growth, with plans to expand a talented team comprising of digital marketers, social media and content creators, videographers and website developers.
Wykeland Property Director Neil Riseham said: “We’re delighted that Vuba have chosen @TheDock as the location for their new headquarters. It brings one of the region’s fastest-growing and most innovative companies into the tech community and is another major boost for the Fruit Market.
“A key driver behind Vuba’s move is to connect with @TheDock’s established and thriving tech community. Being close to C4DI and within the wider development will accelerate Vuba’s product development and innovation, helping to maintain their leading position in the industry.
“We’re pleased to have secured a fantastic occupier for the final building within the @TheDock development. It is the culmination of a decade-long story of investment across the tech campus, which has supported the growth and evolution of dozens of digital businesses.”
The @TheDock campus has played a major role in the regeneration of the Fruit Market into a thriving urban village, home to hundreds of residents and featuring an array of independent shops, restaurants, bars and galleries.
The cluster of five buildings, forming a courtyard with popular café Nibble at its heart, has been the catalyst for the growth of dozens of digital businesses and creation of hundreds of highly-skilled jobs.