£45 million manufacturing facility opens at Gateway 14

17/06/26

More than 250 local businesses, government officials, suppliers, partners and community representatives gathered today to celebrate the official opening of Assan Panel UK's new £45 million manufacturing facility at Gateway 14 in Suffolk.

Operated by Assan Panel, part of international industrial group Kibar Holding, the factory is the company's first manufacturing operation in the UK and will create 105 skilled jobs while strengthening domestic manufacturing capacity for the construction and industrial sectors.

Located at Gateway 14, a business, innovation and logistics park adjacent to Junction 50 of the A14 and within Freeport East, the facility has the capacity to produce up to 4.5 million square metres of insulated wall and roof panels each year, enough to supply around 450 large warehouses, factories and distribution centres annually, or cover more than 630 football pitches.

The opening brought together senior representatives from the UK and Turkish governments, reflecting the importance of the investment for Suffolk, UK manufacturing and growing trade links between the two countries.

Speakers included Ali Kibar, Chairman of Kibar Holding; Haluk Kayabaşı, Group CEO, Kibar Holding; Koray Ertaş, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye; Daniel Zeichner MP, UK Trade Envoy to Türkiye; İhsan Tolga Akar, Managing Director of Assan Panel UK; Councillor Andrew Mellen, Leader of Mid Suffolk District Council; and Steve Beel, Chief Executive of Freeport East.

Gateway 14 offers strong transport links, access to skilled talent and proximity to key supply routes through the Port of Felixstowe and Freeport East. As the UK's busiest container port, Felixstowe provides direct access to domestic and international markets, helping businesses move goods efficiently across the UK and around the world.

Assan Panel's products are used in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, food production sites, cold storage facilities, data centres, healthcare buildings and transport infrastructure. As investment continues to grow across manufacturing, logistics, food production and digital infrastructure, demand for high-performance, energy-efficient building systems is increasing.

Ali Kibar, CEO at Kibar Holding, comments:

“For more than half a century, Kibar Holding has been creating value across a diverse range of industries, with manufacturing at the heart of what we do. Over the years, we have steadily expanded our footprint beyond Türkiye, bringing the value we create to markets around the world. Today, we are a global group with commercial relationships in more than 100 countries across five continents, and nearly 60% of our revenue is generated through our export-driven activities. Our new facility here in Suffolk represents the latest chapter in that international growth story.”

Haluk Kayabaşı, Group CEO, Kibar Holding, comments:

“Last year, we gathered here in Suffolk to break ground on this facility, marking an important milestone in Assan Panel’s journey toward establishing a permanent presence in the European market. Today, it is a source of great pride for all of us to return to the same site and celebrate the opening of a fully operational manufacturing facility. With an investment of £45 million, Assan Panel is now positioned to serve the United Kingdom and neighbouring markets with direct access and significant logistical advantages.”

Daniel Zeichner MP, Trade Envoy to Türkiye said:

“This is a significant moment, not only for the local community, but for the strength of the UK–Türkiye economic partnership. Investments like this bring that relationship to life in a very tangible way. Assan Panel’s £45 million investment will create around 100 skilled jobs here in Stowmarket - a powerful vote of confidence in the UK as a place to do business. And it’s exactly the kind of high-quality, forward-looking investment we want to see, supporting advanced manufacturing, strengthening supply chains, and contributing to a more sustainable built environment.”

Ihsan Tolga Akar, Managing Director at Assan Panel UK, said:

"The opening of our first UK manufacturing facility is a major step for Assan Panel and Kibar Holding. The UK is an important strategic market for our business, and this investment allows us to manufacture closer to our customers, strengthen supply chains and support customers as they invest in the next generation of industrial and commercial buildings.

We are proud to be creating skilled jobs in Suffolk and contributing to the next generation of industrial and commercial buildings that will support economic growth across the UK. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all our employees, partners, Freeport East, government and Council officials and stakeholders whose dedication and support have made this achievement possible.”

Steve Beel, CEO at Freeport East said:

"It is fantastic to see the facility officially open. Projects like this are helping establish the Freeport East area as a growing centre for advanced manufacturing, innovation and international trade, and we look forward to supporting Assan Panel's future growth. It is a major vote of confidence in Suffolk and in Freeport East. This £45 million investment will create skilled jobs, strengthen supply chains and support the continued growth of advanced manufacturing in the East of England."

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, buildings and construction account for around one-third of global energy demand and more than one-third of energy-related carbon emissions. Insulated panel systems help improve thermal performance, reduce energy consumption and support faster construction, helping businesses bring facilities into operation more quickly while lowering operating costs over the lifetime of a building.

The event is part of Kibar Holding's international growth strategy and reflects confidence in the UK's long-term industrial future. It also reinforces Suffolk's position as a growing centre for advanced manufacturing, international trade and inward investment.