Glass manufacturer O-I is set to build an R&D innovation center in the US. The company plans to break ground on the 18,000ft2 facility in Ohio in the fourth quarter of 2012.
The company will invest $35m over three years on the facility, which is expected to complete construction by late 2013.
The facility will be funded, in part, by a $3m grant offer from the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. The center will create 45 jobs in basic sciences, engineering and technical disciplines over several years.
O-I hopes the facility will help advance new concepts and qualify emerging technologies that could revolutionize glass melting and forming.
O-I vice president and chief technical officer Giancarlo Currarino said that by significantly changing the way glass is made, the company could deliver even more innovative and brand-building products for its customers, increase the efficiency of its operations and further enhance the c.
In the future, the facility will include the ability to prototype product innovations, such as the recently launched -VersaFlow jar - part of the Versa platform of functional food packages - and the Vortex bottle.
