09 Mar Freeport East boosts green trade in East of England with international investment
A new partnership signed yesterday in London will boost eco-friendly construction in the East of England as well as international trade links between the UK and Turkey.
The agreement between Freeport East and Assan Panel, a leading international manufacturer of high-performance insulation and building materials, builds on their £45m 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 today 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 today 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 £45 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.”
