Leading UK manufacturer Superglass has strengthened its presence in Scotland with a newly redeveloped production facility.

The upgrades at the glass wool insulation factory in Stirling protected 180 jobs and doubled the site's production capacity. It involved the installation of a 187-tonne furnace and curing oven, cooling, cutting and milling equipment.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited the site today, 09 December, to officially open the facility.

Speaking at the opening, Sturgeon said: "This new facility is testimony to the commitment by Superglass to Stirling and Scotland, not only creating new jobs, but securing the future of the site and its talented workforce.

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"As well as providing long term economic benefits, it's also significant that this plant will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"This plant is an example of the skilled, low carbon industry which is so crucial to Scotland's future, and I am pleased that it has been supported by Scottish Enterprise."

Redevelopment of the Superglass factory is a commitment from the company to maintaining its Scottish base, from which it will now produce around 60,000 tonnes of environmentally sustainable glass wool insulation annually.

This also represents one of the largest investments in Scottish engineering and manufacturing in recent years and was supported with £477,000 of Scottish Enterprise grant funding.

Ken Munro, CEO of Superglass and its parent company, TECHNONICOL International for Western Europe & North America, added: "We are following through on our commitment to expand our manufacturing operations in Stirling, and the tens of millions we've invested is a real vote of confidence in both our industry and in the wider Scottish manufacturing sector.

"It's an honour to welcome the First Minister to the factory to officially open the new, state-of-the-art production facility."

(CM/JG)