Freeport East celebrates third anniversary and looks ahead to future

The freeport has marked three years of operation with GBP250 million in private sector investment, more than GBP200 million in international inward investment, and nearly GBP20 million directed toward skills, innovation, and business growth. It was also backed as East Anglia's only Industrial Strategy Zone. Steve Beel, chief executive of Freeport East, said: "2025 has been about turning prospects into delivery on the ground.

Freeport East chief executive Steve Beel (Image: Steve Brading) "We've focused on unlocking infrastructure and grid capacity, supporting international investors, and ensuring long-term growth benefits communities and businesses across the region. "The ports of Felixstowe, Harwich, and Ipswich continue to act as a key attraction for many advanced manufacturers, traders, and clean energy companies looking to grow in the UK.

"In addition, the growing depth of digital technology and defence capabilities in the region, together with alignment with our world-class universities, presents a range of high value opportunities we look forward to pursuing into 2026." In its third year, Freeport East supported the arrival of Ukrainian drone manufacturer Ukrspecsystems to Suffolk, bolstering defence and digital technology in the region. In May, Turkish sustainable construction leader Assan Panel began work on its GBP45 million UK facility at Gateway 14 in Stowmarket, expected to create more than 100 jobs.

By July, a new distribution centre for Bauder Ltd was completed at the same site, supporting further investment in the company's long-standing Ipswich operations and reinforcing Suffolk's role in sustainable construction and green technologies.. Development continued in 2025 on the GBP18 million Stowmarket Innovation Gateway, a 35,000 sq ft centre set to open in mid-2026. More than 21 hectares of employment and innovation space are either operational or under development, supporting almost 2,000 direct jobs across the region.

Freeport East launched Cyber Innovate to Elevate with the University of Essex, supporting SMEs to strengthen cyber resilience.

The freeport also launched its new head office and innovation hub in Harwich, co-funded by the UK Government's Prosperity Fund.

Looking ahead to 2026, Freeport East plans to drive strategic growth across Ipswich and Colchester through new commercial space linked to garden communities, university-led innovation hubs, and research-based economic development.