В Саффолке завершено возведение стального каркаса 17-миллионного центра передового машиностроения

Milestone in construction of £17m Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Centre at Suffolk Business Park, on edge of Bury St Edmunds A milestone has been reached in the construction of a £17 million business centre. An event was held on Monday to mark the completion of the steel frame of the Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) Centre at Suffolk Business Park, on the edge of Bury St Edmunds. West Suffolk councillors and Suffolk Business Board representatives joined members of the Pentaco project team to sign one of the steel beams that forms part of the structure. The facility will deliver 17 self-contained, flexible workshop units, as well as meeting rooms and conference facilities, to support business growth, collaboration, and networking for the wider AME sector. Cllr Indy Wijenayaka, cabinet member for growth at West Suffolk Council, said: “This vital project is designed to power the future of our local economy by providing a space tailored to support business growth in advanced manufacturing and engineering. “Once complete the centre will offer opportunities for new employment and skills development, all in favour of our local communities.” According to 2022 data, advanced manufacturing is the largest of the growth sectors in the Suffolk economy, with £1.9bn gross value added that year. By 2050 that is due to more than double and contribute £4.7bn to the county’s economy. Funding for the centre is from West Suffolk Council and Enterprise Zone money, endorsed by Suffolk County Council and the Suffolk Business Board. Lisa Perkins, chair of the Suffolk Business Board, said: “The Advanced Manufacturing sector is a key driver of Suffolk’s economy. “The new AME Centre will provide space, but it is also about giving ambitious businesses the connections and opportunities that they need to thrive. “It’s exactly the kind of investment that helps strengthen our innovation ecosystem and supports high-value jobs, and the Suffolk Business Board is very pleased to be helping bring it to life.” Elliott Jones, contracts manager for Pentaco, added the true measure of success isn't just the physical structure the firm erects, it’s the lasting social value it leaves behind in the community.