Global investment links strengthened as Freeport East drives boost for green trade

The agreement between Freeport East and Assan Panel, a leading international manufacturer of high-performance insulation and building materials, builds on their GBP45 million commitment to a new manufacturing facility at Gateway 14 in Stowmarket. Part of Kibar Holding, one of Turkey's most respected industrial groups, Assan Panel has been at the forefront of sustainable construction solutions since 1990, exporting to over 85 countries worldwide. Its products, including sandwich panels and insulation boards, improve construction efficiency, lower energy consumption and support sustainable building practices through advanced technologies like SmartCore and BioCore, along with integrated solar energy solutions.

A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by both organisations to demonstrate their shared commitment to driving green construction in the region and strengthening UK-Turkey trade relations. Under the MoU, Freeport East will help Assan Panel to build its UK presence, including through engagement with future customers and building local supply chains and university links. Meanwhile, Assan Panel will facilitate the development of a sustainable construction cluster, in part through engagement with Stowmarket's Gateway 14 Skills and Innovation Centre - part of Freeport East and developed through Mid Suffolk District Council - while creating skills development opportunities for young people in East Anglia.

Demonstrating the vital role of inward investment in driving clean growth in line with the UK Government's policy priorities, Assan Panel was invited by the Department for Business and Trade to speak at Futurebuild, one of the UK's leading events for innovation in the built environment. Assan Panel's Managing Director, Ihsan Tolga Akar, highlighted the company's expertise in green building solutions, its decision to invest in the UK, the strategic move to establish operations at Freeport East and the growing market for sustainable construction materials. Assan Panel is investing GBP45 million to set up a manufacturing facility at Gateway 14, a new facility at Freeport East, which is a major step in Assan Panel's expansion into the UK.

Basing its UK operations there will help make East Anglia a major hub for innovative green construction materials in the UK and Northern Europe. The MoU strengthens trade relations between the UK and Turkey by positioning Freeport East and the wider region as a partner to one of Turkey's most respected industrial groups. The partnership will provide local job opportunities and collaboration with nearby colleges and universities to develop skills for students in the East of England.

Steve Beel, Chief Executive of Freeport East, said: "Our collaboration with Assan Panel further strengthens the trade ties between the UK and Turkey and opens up further opportunities for bilateral investment between our countries. "This agreement is also an important step for Freeport East as we fulfil our vision of becoming a major force in driving sustainable development in the East of England and partnering with businesses that share our ambitions for growth and sustainability. We look forward to the positive impact this partnership will have on both our region and the wider green construction industry."

Ihsan Tolga Akar, Managing Director of Assan Panel companies, added: "With an investment of GBP45 million, we will create around 100 highly skilled jobs. Our goal is to have the new plant operational at the end of 2025. "Freeport East has chosen advanced building materials as one its core areas, and its vision in sustainability and green energy aligns with our corporate policies as well.

"The East of England has easy access to major European shipping lanes, while Gateway 14 offers a prime location for manufacturing and logistics with its position along the A14 providing easy access to Ipswich, Cambridge and up to the Midlands, as well as to the Port of Felixstowe. "These facts, compounded with customs and tax benefits and our long-term perspective in the UK as a local manufacturer with a strong export focus convinced us to make this investment in Suffolk." With construction of the new facility at Gateway 14 expected to be completed later this year, Freeport East and Assan Panel aim to provide the infrastructure, expertise, and educational support needed to boost the growth of sustainable construction in the UK.

This partnership paves the way for deeper cooperation between the UK and Turkey in promoting responsible, innovative manufacturing practices.