Barclays has provided a funding boost to plans for an experimental glass making facility in St Helens which would create 80 jobs.
A new banking facility has been supplied by Barclays Corporate Banking to Glass Futures, a not-for-profit research technology organisation set up by the global glass industry.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is investing £15m into the project and Barclays Corporate Banking will provide the facilities to hold the funds towards the project.
Additional funding is also being provided by the Liverpool City Region with £9m through its Getting Building Fund.
St Helens Council, along with industry, are also contributing for a total build value of c.£54m.
The new facility will be capable of experimentally producing 30 tonnes of glass a day for research and development into products such as bottles, jars or windows and will be located in St Helens on a former glassworks site historically occupied by United Glass.
Richard Katz, chief executive of Glass Futures, said: "As a rapidly growing not-for-profit research technology organisation, we’re delighted to be partnering with Barclays Corporate Banking to accelerate our growth with the creation of our 160,000 square foot Global Innovation Centre in St Helens."
Elise Higham, relationship director for Barclays Corporate Banking, added: "Barclays is committed to supporting organisations with ambitions to have a positive social environmental impact so we are delighted to partner with Glass Futures to enable the delivery of this vital project which will signal a new era in highly efficient, low-carbon glass production."
