Bauder has held a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the start of construction of a 44,000 sq ft distribution centre at Gateway 14.

Bauder – a leading international manufacturer of flat roof building construction materials including solutions for green roofs and solar PV arrays – managing directors Yvonne Higgins and John Llewellyn, plus logistics manager Ian Madgwick led the ground-breaking ceremony at the state-of-the-art business, innovation and logistics park near Stowmarket, flanked by representatives from Gateway 14 Ltd, Mid Suffolk District Council, Jaynic, Freeport East and Wilten Construction.

The new investment on the freeport site represents a broader strengthening of Bauder's presence in Suffolk to support continuing growth and opportunities in the UK. Bauder's UK operational headquarters will continue to be based in Ipswich – with plans to revamp their existing facility on Landseer Road – while the new centre at Gateway 14 will become its biggest distribution location in the UK.

Development of the building is by Gateway 14 Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mid Suffolk District Council, and Jaynic its development manager. The construction contract has been awarded to Leicestershire-based Wilten Construction.

Bauder specialises in quality flat roof waterproofing systems, insulation, green roofs and rooftop solar PV to make buildings watertight, thermally efficient and positively support the environment.

Bauder's parent company in Germany has been producing roofing products for more than 160 years and has grown continuously; with seven factories in Germany, one in Austria and subsidiaries in 14 countries.

Yvonne Higgins of Bauder, said: "This a landmark day for Bauder. Our investment plan, to grow and strengthen our presence in the UK market, welcomes the new distribution centre to meet increasing demand, and is in line with our sustainability programme. This is the first part of a larger plan that will also see us expand our operational base in Ipswich and create further job opportunities at both our sites."

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Sir Christopher Haworth, Chair of Gateway 14 Ltd, said: "This is another welcome milestone for Gateway 14. Alongside plans for the new skills and innovation centre on site, people can now see how Gateway 14 is taking shape and can start to understand its significance for the region as a hub for the green sector."

Mid Suffolk District Council's lead member for Stowmarket Cllr Colin Lay said: "We are delighted to welcome Bauder to Gateway 14 – the green economy is an emerging market that we are keen to encourage in Mid Suffolk and as part of our aspirations for Gateway 14."

Jaynic's development director Ben Oughton said: "We are pleased to be making strong headway at Gateway 14 where potential occupiers see the benefits that the park provides with its freeport status as well as underlining its locational advantages sitting next to Junction 50 of the A14. This provides direct trunk road access into the UK motorway system."

Steve Beel, Chief Executive Officer of Freeport East, said: "We're delighted to see such a high-quality business as Bauder coming to Gateway 14. With their investment in the freeport enabling them to grow and strengthen their presence in Ipswich and the UK market this development demonstrates how we can help deliver broader growth for our region.

"Bauder is also well aligned to the types of industry we are looking to attract across Freeport East and will support our efforts to bring more green sector investment to the area."

Matt Fry, director and co-founder of Wilten Construction, said: "Wilten is delighted to be the named main contractor for this plot at Gateway 14 and is proud to be collaborating with Jaynic, Gateway 14 Ltd, and Bauder to deliver this development.

"We are thrilled to have broken ground today to begin on site and are excited to foster a long-term partnership for mutual success as we deliver this fantastic high-quality scheme and continue to shape the future."

Gateway 14 is already home to a new 1.17m sq ft distribution hub for garden and leisure retailer The Range, which is due to be fully operational soon, creating 1,600 jobs for the area.

Following recent planning consent, Bauder will also now be joined at Gateway 14 by Assan Panel, another manufacturer of eco-friendly construction materials.

There are also plans for a new £18m skills and innovation centre on site, funded by Freeport East and Mid Suffolk District Council, offering support to cutting edge young and start-up businesses, and providing a vital link between education and skills to the community

As with all buildings at Gateway 14, Bauder's new distribution centre will be designed to BREEAM excellent standard which includes an EPC A rating, EV charging, LED lighting, solar PV, smart energy systems and rainwater harvesting, delivering low carbon and net zero solutions where possible.

Accessibility through and around the development is a key feature with integrated walking and cycling routes along with access to public transport links and local amenities. Biodiversity on the site is a priority, with high-quality landscaping, green corridors and nesting boxes to support not only the wildlife and ecology but also to create a vibrant, attractive, and healthy working environment for employees.