Northern Irish Quinn Glass is to build a GBP 120 million glass packaging and distribution plant at Ellesmere Port in north west England, creating 370 jobs. The project will benefit from a GBP 4.9 mill…
Northern Irish Quinn Glass is to build a GBP 120 million glass packaging and distribution plant at Ellesmere Port in north west England, creating 370 jobs. The project will benefit from a GBP 4.9 million grant from the North West Development Agency, confirmed on 27 August 2003. Located on the site of a former power station, the single furnace plant will enter service by 2007. The company has an option to add a second furnace, raising the number employed to 500. The new plant will include one of the largest automated warehouses in Europe, capable of storing more than 150,000 pallets of filled and unfilled glass containers. It will also be one of the few plant worldwide that can manufacture and fill bottles at the same time. Quinns decided in favour of the north west England over an alternative in Nord Pas de Calais in northern France. Donal O“Donnell, Quinn Glass director, said: “We looked at sites around Europe and selected the North West as the best location due to the fantastic skills base and excellent transport links. Global glass giant Pilkington is based in nearby St. Helens. “I am really looking forward to entering the UK market and building on our success in Ireland.” He added: “The help of the local authorities, the NWDA and and the local communities has been crucial to bringing this project to fruition. “Construction will begin next month and capital expenditure on the project is expected to be around GBP 120m. “The plant is unique in the UK glass industry and will be in a position to provide a very competitive glass packaging and distribution service for the UK drinks industry .” Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the NWDA, said: “I am proud to support this major in vestment in the North West by Quinn Glass. Quinn Glass, based in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, was set up in 1998.