Pilkington UK is celebrating one year since production started at its new rolled glass line at Greengate Works in St Helens.

The pioneering glassmaker also confirms that the production line has delivered the 15,000-tonne annual CO2e saving that Pilkington UK projected when announcing the investment. According to Pilkington, this has the same impact as taking 8,000 cars off the road annually.

The saving was achieved by consolidating both rolled and float glass manufacturing into a single furnace at its Greengate Works, following the closure of the nearby Watson Street Works after two centuries of production. Pilkington UK is supporting St Helens Borough Council with plans to redevelop the Watson Street site.

The new production line manufactures Pilkington UK’s Texture by Pilkington glass range, featuring 20 original designs and textures used for privacy and style in interior design, and is part of a multi-million-pound investment to safeguard the future of rolled texture glass manufacturing in the UK.

The carbon reduction supports Pilkington UK’s wider sustainability commitments, which include a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2018 levels and achieving net zero by 2050. The project received £3.7 million in funding through the UK government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund.

The Greengate Works site continues to pioneer the future of glassmaking globally. In recent years, it has achieved a number of global firsts in hydrogen-fired glass production, achieving key milestones in reducing glassmaking emissions.

Neil Syder, managing director of Pilkington UK, said:

“When we opened the new line a year ago, we made a commitment to safeguard the future of rolled texture glass manufacturing in St Helens, while also significantly reducing our carbon footprint. We have delivered on both.

“The annual 15,000 tonne CO2e saving ambition is now a reality. That is the equivalent of taking over 8,800 cars off the road for a year, and it demonstrates that investing in cutting-edge manufacturing and sustainability can go hand in hand.

“Texture by Pilkington has been manufactured by our team in St Helens since 1852. This first year of production at Greengate Works is another chapter in that story, and we look forward to continuing to serve our customers with high-quality texture glass for many years to come.”