Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Visits Glass Futures to Champion Green Innovation

Glass Futures is leading a global effort to make glass production cleaner and more sustainable. Based in St Helens, the organisation is revitalising the town's proud glassmaking heritage by creating skilled jobs, supporting local businesses, and inspiring the next generation of innovators.

Following a tour of the 165,000 sq. ft transformational R&D centre, Sir Keir Starmer addressed the Glass Futures workforce and said: "You can read a briefing in London, or you can come and see the workforce. You can come and see the people with the real skills and understand what they're doing.

"I've got a really good sense of what you're doing here, how you're doing it, the incredible way in which you are doing it and how each of you are contributing in your own way."

At the national level, it plays a key role in advancing the UK's green industrial strategy by helping to reduce carbon emissions and promote cleaner manufacturing. Internationally, Glass Futures serves as a unique hub where global partners collaborate to develop and test low-carbon technologies that have the potential to transform not only the glass industry but other heavy industries as well.

Justin Kelly, CEO of Glass Futures, said: "The significance of the Prime Minister's visit to Glass Futures' Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens cannot be underestimated. Political support, coupled with the determination of our team, members and supporters, will enable us to light our transformational R&D furnace on 25th June.

"That really gets us driving towards delivering our innovation programmes focused on decarbonisation. It's fantastic that a visit from the Prime Minister has put a spotlight on Glass Futures' national asset, especially ahead of the imminent release of the Government's industrial strategy. He was keen to learn about the unique solutions that Glass Futures can offer to decarbonise the glass sector and other foundation industries, as well as create employment.

"This wouldn't have been possible without the support of the Government. We've achieved great things through our collaboration with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and through strong engagement with regional government, including the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, St Helens Council, and our highly supportive local MPs."

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: "Glass Futures is a first-of-its-kind project that has brought together some of the brightest minds in science and industry to decarbonise heavy polluting industries. It has put St Helens, a town with nearly two centuries of industrial heritage, back at the forefront of global industry, creating high-quality, secure jobs for local people and accelerating our country's journey to net zero - thanks to support from the city region.

"Today we were able to demonstrate the depth and breadth of the Liverpool City Region's innovation credentials to the Prime Minister, because this sort of innovation isn't happening anywhere else."

Justin added: "There are a lot of local people in our workforce, and that brings a lot of pride. We talked to the Prime Minister about skills - we are not just recruiting people, we are developing them and seeing them progress in their careers."

Cllr Anthony Burns, Leader of St Helens Council, said: "We really see Glass Futures as the catalyst for what we want to achieve with our net zero ambitions, as well as improving the lives and aspirations of our residents.

"To have the Prime Minister here was fantastic. He was not just interested in the industry, but also in the apprentices and the people he met. He saw the difference Glass Futures can make, and we are all on the same page with that."

Glass Futures is not only transforming glass production but also setting a blueprint for how place-based innovation can power the UK's green economy. By anchoring high-skilled jobs and advanced manufacturing in St Helens, it supports the region's long-term prosperity and helps level up opportunities across the North.