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Global Centre of Excellence Glass Futures today lit its cutting-edge furnace for the first time – marking a major milestone in the organisation’s quest to decarbonise glass making.
The world first at the £54m facility in St Helens heralds the start of international trials aimed at creating sustainable, lower-carbon glass and other materials.
In a special ceremony, Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region, lit the 30-tonne-a-day furnace putting the town centre stage in the global push for sustainable glass manufacturing.
Mayor Steve Rotheram igniting the Glass Futures furnace.
The first of its kind furnace is able to use low-carbon fuels including green electricity, hydrogen, and biofuels – such as used cooking oils. Reaching temperatures of 1,600°C, it can produce more than 2 miles of flat glass a day – the equivalent of a double decker bus of stacked sheets each week.
The furnace was lit just weeks after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited Glass Futures and praised the work taking place at the facility which received a £9m investment from the Combined Authority.
Justin Kelly, CEO of Glass Futures Ltd (GFL), said:
“Following the Prime Minister’s visit last month, today marks a defining moment – not just for Glass Futures, our members and St Helens but for the entire global glass and foundation industries. There is no other facility in the world capable of producing both flat (like windows) and container glass (like drinks bottles) using such a wide range of sustainable fuel sources, including electric melting. This isn’t just about decarbonising glass – it’s about working with our membership to transform global manufacturing.
“We were profiled in the government’s Industrial Strategy this week for our work in translating and commercialising new technologies and processes such as using sustainable fuels to develop new materials. By hosting trials for manufacturing partners and members from across the UK, Europe and internationally, we’re set to influence production standards worldwide, reducing emissions and supporting other energy intensive sectors like ceramics and steel.”
The pilot line is smaller in size than an industrial production line allowing rapid innovation with results that can be scaled up for industry. Fully automated with Siemens control technology it has high-definition cameras allowing for real-time adjustments to optimise energy use and glass quality.
Looking into the new furnace.
High-powered electric boosting for the furnace – equivalent to the energy usage in 2000 homes – means it can melt raw materials faster supporting carbon emissions reductions of up to 56 per cent, aligned to British Glass’ Net Zero Glass Strategy.
Richard Katz, Founder of Glass Futures, said:
“Decarbonising global manufacturing is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The foundation industries—glass, ceramics, steel, metals, chemicals, paper, and cement—are vital to modern life, yet they account for around 10% of the UK’s carbon emissions.
“Glass Futures gives manufacturers the space to innovate, test and de-risk new processes away from live production lines. Glass is infinitely recyclable and is one of the best packaging materials so it’s about unlocking sustainable solutions that are scalable and commercially viable.”
Glass Futures has received £9m from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
“St Helens boasts nearly two centuries of industrial heritage – and today, with the launch of Glass Futures’ furnace, the town is again at the cutting edge of global innovation.
“This centre will become a beacon for the decarbonisation in energy intensive industries – creating clean, green growth that will power our transition to net zero and create high-quality, secure jobs for local people. We’re using our proud industrial past to shape a stronger, more prosperous future for our region – and I can’t wait to see where it leads.”
Glass Futures staff, members and invitees including the local authority and MPs attended the ceremony.
L-R Aston Fuller – Glass Futures General Manager, Justin Kelly -Glass Futures CEO, Steve Rotheram – Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Cllr Anthony Burns – Leader of St Helens Council and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Net Zero, Marie Rimmer – MP for St Helens South and Whiston, David Baines – MP for St Helens North, Richard Katz – Founder of Glass Futures & Sarah Harrold Glass Futures Head of Strategy and Government Engagement.
Councillor Anthony Burns, Leader of St Helens Council and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Net Zero, said:
“It’s no coincidence that the world’s first Global Centre of Excellence is based here in St Helens, which boasts such a proud place in the global development of glassmaking.
“Lighting this unique test furnace is another huge step in Glass Futures’ mission to decarbonise the glass industry which will be vital in helping other energy intensive industries reach net zero.
“We want to create a world where glass is not just functional but also environmentally responsible; this commitment to decarbonisation really aligns with the spirit of St Helens, a town that once thrived on industry and now thrives on innovation.”
The furnace will be warmed up to temperature with the first piece of glass rolling of the line before industrial trials begin.
David Baines, MP for St Helens North, said:
“This is a milestone moment for Glass Futures. The first ignition of the furnace is a significant step forward in their mission to transform the global glass industry, and I pay tribute to all the staff and partners who have driven the project forward from conception to delivery.
“While Glass Futures is exciting and significant in and of itself, for us here in St Helens it is especially important given the role our borough has played in the history of glass research and manufacturing. We have led the way here for 250 years, and now through Glass Futures we continue to do so.”
Marie Rimmer, MP for St Helens South and Whiston, said:
“This is a hugely exciting moment for Glass Futures and all in St Helens. We have a proud heritage built on glass. Now we’re seeing that tradition evolve with world-leading, high-quality R&D and decarbonised innovation in a heavy industry. This a huge step forward towards a sustainable future.
“I couldn’t be prouder of what this is bringing to the town. The local jobs, the skills, the innovation, it’s a privilege to support it.”
A not-for-profit membership organisation, Glass Futures connects the global glass industry and academia to deliver R&D and innovation, ensuring glass making future is built on high value and fully sustainable, zero-carbon products.
In collaboration with the worldwide glass industry, Glass Futures has built the world’s first openly accessible, commercially available, multi-disciplinary glass melting facility, The Global Centre of Excellence, with provision for research and development trials to decarbonise the international glass and foundation industries.
The 165,000 sq. ft state-of-the-art facility is capable of producing up to 30 tonnes of glass per day in a purposefully designed research and development furnace. Its collaborative network of glass manufacturers, suppliers, researchers, and industry leaders come together to experiment with different energy sources, raw materials, and technologies to demonstrate solutions leading to sustainable energy usage in the glass-making process. www.glass-futures.org
