A £40 million research and training centre backed by the global glass industry is set to create 150 jobs in South Yorkshire — and up to 10 times more in the supply chain.
Glass Futures (
www.glass-futures.org) is intended to ‘completely revolutionise the manufacture of glass’, develop new products and help the industry cut its carbon footprint by 80%.
The not-for-profit company is likely to set up on two sites. At the heart of the operation will be a furnace making up to 30 tonnes a day of special glass for uses such as medical implants, smartphones and high-tech construction.
Glass Futures is the brainchild of industry body British Glass, which is based in Chapeltown, Sheffield.
Founding director Richard Katz said: “We will bring together the best in global manufacture with the shining lights of academia to focus on exploiting this amazing opportunity in two centres of excellence in the Northern Powerhouse.
“We want to attract, train and up-skill the best brains, and we want to be at the core of economic growth.”
The scheme has the backing of Austrian glass firm Swarovski, UK manufacturers Pilkington and Guardian Industries in Goole, engineering firm Siemens, Sheffield Hallam and Leeds universities and the world’s biggest bottle manufacturer — Owens Illinois.
Industry is set to provide up to £20 million, with discussions over a similar amount from the Government said to be ‘looking promising’.