A new facility is taking shape.
Located near Glasgow Airport, the facility will be capable of producing up to 50 million fibre-based bottles a year and marks a major milestone for Pulpex, a sustainable packaging technology company based in Cambridgeshire.
The bottles are made from sustainably sourced wood fibre and are designed to be recycled through normal household paper and card recycling streams.
Scott Winston, managing director and chief science and sustainability officer at Pulpex, said: "Delivering audacious outcomes requires robust and rigorous teams to form up and move together as one, it’s no small task.
"Our combined Team in this focused piece of work, well supported by the broad Robertson network of partners, has shown depth of skill, ingenuity, resilience and used the strength of the local business economy to deliver this key milestone, it’s exciting as we sprint through them all to the finish line."
Robertson Construction Central West is leading the design and build of the facility.
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The steel frame, now complete, will form the core structure of the production centre as construction advances to include main mechanical and electrical services and internal fit-out.
Pulpex has operated previously at only pilot and development scale.
This new facility represents a significant scale-up for the company.
The bottles produced will be renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable, offering up to 90 per cent carbon savings compared with glass and around 30 per cent compared with PET.
When operational, the facility is expected to create 36 new jobs and support Scotland’s transition to net zero through low-carbon manufacturing.
The project is being developed within an existing industrial warehouse at Westway, Scotland’s largest 24-hour industrial estate.
Andy McLinden, regional managing director at Robertson Construction Central West, said: "This project combines advanced manufacturing and sustainability within an existing industrial building, which calls for a carefully considered approach.
"Working closely with Pulpex from the outset has helped the team develop a clear understanding of the technical and operational needs of a completely new production process.
"Reaching this milestone is an important step forward as the facility moves closer to operation and supports the next phase of Pulpex’s growth."
Stakeholders signed the steel structure as part of a ceremony to celebrate the construction milestone.
Pulpex’s Series D funding round includes direct equity investment from the National Wealth Fund and the Scottish National Investment Bank, alongside investments from existing backers.
The investment supports construction of the facility and represents the National Wealth Fund’s first investment in Scotland since its transformation.
As work progresses, Pulpex and Robertson Construction are working together to ensure that the facility meets both technical and operational requirements.
The steel frame completion marks a tangible step toward the launch of full-scale operations.
The project has drawn support from both public and private sectors.
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