£15 million UK Government investment welcomed
Glass Futures has been awarded £15 million investment from the UK Government to kickstart the Centre of Excellence in St Helens.
The funding is part of a wider £54 million investment for the Liverpool City Region to revive the local industry; £15 million is direct investment from the UK Government as part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Transforming Foundation Industries Challenge.
The remaining funding is being provided by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, St Helens Borough Council and Glass Futures, a not-for-profit organisation.
The funding will be used to establish a state-of-the-art glass furnace R&D facility in St Helens, reviving the former United Glass facility.
The plant will be capable of producing 30 tonnes of sustainable glass/day. Initial building design work for the factory has already commenced, funded by St Helens Borough Council. Following completion of the design and winning of planning approval, construction is planned to start in 2021.
“This new funding will build on our commitment to cut emissions across heavy industry, create green collar jobs on Merseyside and help us to build back greener” commented Glass Futures’ Director, Richard Katz. “The state-of-the-art facility will enable Glass Futures and its members to work collaboratively to research and develop innovative solutions enhancing resource efficiency, moving the industry closer to sustainable low carbon glass production and increasing productivity.”
