An aerial CGI image of what the Glass Futures site could look like A PROPOSED global centre of excellence will put St Helens “at the heart of the global glass industry”, MPs in the House of Commons have heard today. Part of the £54 million Glass Futures project, the centre of excellence will have the first openly accessible, multi-disciplinary experimental glass melting facility for research and development trials in the world. It will be capable of producing 30 tonnes of glass per day and will aim to revolutionise and ultimately eliminate CO2 from glass production. The nationally and globally significant project was a pivotal component of St Helens’ bid to the government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund.