Milestone marked on West Suffolk Council’s Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Centre

25 Aug 2026

A key point in the construction of West Suffolk Council’s new £17 million Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (AME) Centre in Bury St Edmunds has been celebrated with a steel signing ceremony on site.

The event to mark the completion of the buildings’ steel frame was held on 24 August at the Suffolk Business Park site and marked the great progress being made on the facility, which is being developed to support the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector in West Suffolk.

Once complete the state-of-the-art 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.

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 of the new centre.  

Cllr Indy Wijenayaka, Cabinet Member for Growth at West Suffolk Council, said: “I am thrilled that we have reached this stage in the construction of the AME Centre. 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.”

Elliott Jones, Contracts Manager for Pentaco, said: "Signing this steel marks a major milestone for our construction team, but our true measure of success isn't just the physical structure we erect; it’s the lasting social value we leave behind in this community.

“Pentaco are proud that our commitment goes beyond steel and concrete; it’s about creating local jobs, supporting local supply chains, working with local schools and higher education colleges to inspire and develop the next generation, and ensuring this project delivers a positive, lasting legacy for the people who live and work here long after we finish." 

Cllr Cliff Waterman, Leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “I am pleased to see the state-of-the-art facility starting to take shape. This project is a fantastic example of partnership working and innovation, something we hope the centre will instil in future tenants.”

Cllr Vicky Armstrong, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Economic Development and Efficiency, said: “Suffolk already has a strong reputation for advanced manufacturing and engineering, and the AME Centre will help build on that success. Today marks a key milestone in the creation of a high-quality space that will allow our businesses to innovate and collaborate more effectively, creating the conditions for more investment, more opportunities and a stronger future for this important sector.”

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.”

According to 2022 data, Advanced Manufacturing is the largest of the growth sectors in the Suffolk Economy, with £1.9bn gross value added in 2022. By 2050 that is due to more than double and contribute £4.7bn to Suffolk’s economy. The new AME Centre will be at the heart of this growth and bolster Suffolk’s reputation as one of the leaders in advanced manufacturing.

Funding for the centre is coming from West Suffolk Council and Enterprise Zone funding, endorsed by Suffolk County Council and the Suffolk Business Board.

Find out more and register interest in the units on The location for - Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Centre webpage.

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