Ukrainian drone company opens £200 million plant in Suffolk
A new production and R&D facility operated by Ukrainian drone manufacturer Ukrspecsystems has officially opened in Mildenhall in Suffolk following a £200 million investment. Opening the plant, defence minister of state Luke Pollard (photo, with mini-shark drone) said: “Ukrspecsystems’ new factory is a vote of confidence in UK support and underlines the deepening cooperation between our nations’ defence industries. This investment will create up to 500 new jobs in the East of England, drive defence as an engine for growth, and help Ukraine defend itself against Putin’s aggression.” The hope is that the new plant will promote the growth of economic clusters in the East, given the region’s existing strengths in areas such as telecoms, autonomous vehicles and data analytics. A Felixstowe business is amongst suppliers that have been lined up.
Rory Chamberlain, managing director at Ukrspecsystems UK, said: “By establishing production in the UK, Ukrspecsystems are increasing the resilience of the UK’s defence industrial base, and providing a trusted supply chain that ensures that the drones relied upon by the Ukrainian Armed Forces can be built and scaled without interruption.”
Steve Beel, CEO of the economic zone Freeport East, added: “This visit is a strong demonstration of what international collaboration can achieve. … Working alongside Ukrspecsystems, we are helping to build resilient supply chains, create high-value jobs in East Anglia and strengthen the UK’s capability in emerging autonomous technologies.” Freeport East and Ukrspecsystems have been shortlisted for an award at the fDi Intelligence European Investment Impact Awards 2026.
Business confidence ticks up on hopes of brighter economic outlook
Business confidence in the East if England rose by two points during February to 36 per cent helped by an improved economic outlook, according to a business barometer survey from Lloyds. Although firms in the East reported lower confidence in their own business prospects, down 19 points at 39 per cent, their optimism in the economy rose 23 points to 32pc. Over the next six months, businesses in the region saw their top target areas for growth as team investments such as training (48pc), new products or services and new markets. Nationally the survey showed UK business confidence was unchanged since January at 44pc; whilst firms’ confidence in their own trading prospects, fell their optimism in the wider economy rose. The construction sector saw strong gains in confidence. Kirsty Sadler, regional director for the East of England at Lloyds, said: “It’s encouraging that confidence levels in the East of England have risen again this month.”
Hann-Ju Ho, senior economist, Lloyds Commercial Banking, said: “The majority of the survey results were collected following the Bank of England’s close decision to hold interest rates at its February meeting, signalling potential easing ahead, which may have alleviated business concerns, including those around cost pressures. While the rise in pricing expectations to a six month high may indicate firms are looking to rebuild their margins in 2026.”
New CEO appointed to manage research campus in Cambridge
Babraham Research Campus Ltd, (BRCL) which manages and develops the bioscience and life sciences facility south of Cambridge, has appointed Dr Rich Ferrie as its new chief executive officer. He joins from London Bioscience Innovation Centre, (LBIC) which provides space and support services for life science companies in the capital’s Knowledge Quarter. As CEO he led the expansion of LBIC in King’s Cross, doubling the centre’s footprint. Referring to Babraham, Rich Ferrie said: “The campus has a rich tradition of scientific leadership, with the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship a particular hallmark of the community. I am eager to work closely with the board and colleagues at BRCL together with the broader Cambridge ecosystem to build on its strengths, deepen its impact, shape its future development and set a sustainable trajectory for growth.”
Law firm appoints trio to corporate and commercial department
Law firm Fisher Jones Greenwood has made three strategic, experienced appointments at its growing corporate and commercial department. They follow a year of continued recognition for the department in the Legal 500 and Chambers rankings (Band 1), alongside strategic leadership appointments that position the firm for its next phase of growth. Based at FJG’s Chelmsford office and servicing clients across the region, the new hires, bring wide expertise, enhancing the firm’s ability to support businesses at every growth stage. Natasha Bhandari, joins as senior associate solicitor, Nana Poku as associate solicitor and Charlie Neal as solicitor. Ashton Carter, partner and head of corporate and commercial, said: “Their decision to move to FJG is a ringing endorsement of our culture, ambition, and the high-quality work we deliver across the region to all our clients. They are each bringing valuable experience in corporate transactions, restructure and related matters, as well as commercial advisory work, further strengthening our corporate and commercial offerings.”
Suffolk New College renews Chamber patronage after 10 year partnership
Suffolk New College has renewed its patronage with Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, marking a decade of collaboration between the two organisations. As a founding patron of the chamber, Suffolk New College has played a central role in bringing together education and business, helping local employers shape training and influence curriculum needs. Alan Pease, principal and CEO of Suffolk New College, said: “As founding patrons, we have a fantastic reciprocal relationship, with the chamber also being an Industry Partner of Suffolk New College. Indeed, the chamber have played an integral role in supporting the college to 187 formal partners, which it currently boasts. I am looking forward to the next ten years working closely together to bring education and employers closer together to drive the skills agenda forward in Suffolk.”
John Dugmore, chief executive of Suffolk Chamber, said: “Suffolk New College has been an outstanding patron throughout the last decade. Their commitment to developing the county’s skills pipeline and ensuring young people have strong, meaningful opportunities is invaluable to our business community.”
Innovative north Norfolk business wins award for ‘excellence in manufacturing’
North Walsham-based Chell Instruments won an ‘Excellence in Manufacturing’ award at the Inspiring North Norfolk event last month for its innovations in producing gas measurement and control solutions. Jamie Shanahan (photo, centre) director of Chell Instruments, said: “This award doesn’t just represent the success of the technology we manufacture here in Norfolk, but to our team who consistently drive innovation in our business. Through their hard work and dedication, we ensure our scanners deliver the highest levels of measurement integrity worldwide – a true reflection of manufacturing excellence.” Founded in 1976, Chell Instruments is a leading manufacturer and supplier of specialist measurement and control equipment which provides highly-precise insights for key sectors.
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