Collaboration can De-Risk the Glass Industry” – Glass Futures CEO

The chief executive of Glass Futures has told of how its pioneering facility will be able to support the glass manufacturing industry’s drive towards decarbonisation.

Glass Futures CEO Justine Kelly was quoted saying, ‘Through collaboration, we want to de-risk glass industry investment’

Glass Futures, a pioneering not-for-profit at the forefront of sustainable manufacturing, has officially ignited its state-of-the-art furnace at the £54m Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens.

This world-class R&D facility, capable of reaching temperatures of 1,600°C, will play a vital role in helping the global glass industry move toward net zero by enabling real-world testing of alternative fuels—natural gas, hydrogen, electricity, and biofuels—without disrupting product quality.

“For manufacturers operating large, long-lifecycle plants, switching fuels is a significant risk,” said CEO Justin Kelly. He added, “Our role is to remove that risk. By testing these transitions in a controlled environment, we help de-risk decisions that would otherwise be costly and uncertain.”

Glass Futures brings together major players like Diageo, Guardian Glass, and Encirc, fostering deep collaboration across the supply chain to accelerate sustainable innovation.

With around 60 employees and growing, the organisation expects to expand its workforce to around 100 as demand for decarbonisation solutions continues to rise.

A Visit from the Prime Minister

On May 29, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited the facility to show support for its leadership in green technology. After touring the 165,000 sq ft centre, he praised the team:
“You can read a briefing in London, or you can come and see the real skills in action. What you’re doing here is truly incredible.”

Glass Futures CEO Justin Kelly added, “The Prime Minister’s visit is a powerful recognition of the impact we’re having. With political support and the commitment of our team and members, we’ve now lit our transformational R&D furnace. This milestone sets us on the path to delivering breakthrough innovations in decarbonisation.”

Glass Futures is a global not-for-profit research and technology membership organisation that connects the glass industry with academia to demonstrate disruptive technologies that will make glass and other materials zero carbon and sustainable. Glass Futures is actively helping to shape the future of sustainable glass production—driving the industry toward a cleaner, low-carbon future.

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

Glass Futures CEO Justine Kelly 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.”

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