Prime Minister praises Glass Futures on visit to St Helens Borough

Article date: 30 May 2025

The Prime Minister visited the site, which forms part of the Life Science Innovation Zone in St Helens Town Centre, on Thursday to meet with the teams based there focusing on research, development and training that will support the glass and foundation industries to decarbonise and become more sustainable faster.

St Helens Borough Council Leader Councillor Anthony Burns stood alongside the Prime Minister as he delivered a speech to the workforce at the site next to The Totally Wicked Stadium.

Councillor Burns said: "I was delighted to welcome the Prime Minister to our borough and for him to see firsthand the fantastic work that Glass Futures is doing for the glass and foundation industries. We are incredibly proud that our borough's heritage as a cornerstone of innovation in industry is continuing with Glass Futures, the first site of its kind in the world, and I told the Prime Minister how this site is rooted in glass history as the former UGB site.

"The Prime Minister was particularly pleased to meet with the apprentices and hear how our plans for inclusive economic growth and regeneration will bring even more high-quality jobs in hi-tech manufacturing, which includes the likes of Inovus Medical, Sina Medical Glass and our vision for Project Halo on the land next to Glass Futures alongside the redevelopment of the former Watson Street Works that will form a St Helens Manufacturing and Innovation Campus."

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, whose Combined Authority invested £9m in Glass Futures, 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 Kelly, CEO of Glass Futures, added: "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 creating 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 Borough Council, and our highly supportive local MPs."