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Glass container manufacturer Arglass has secured over $230 million in capital to build a second furnace on its campus in Valdosta, Georgia. Projected to be completed in the second quarter of 2025, the new facility is expected to produce over 350 million sustainable glass containers annually. It will include a fully integrated production network, driven by AI-integrated real-time data monitoring, predictive modeling and fully automated closed-loop production and quality assurance systems. These advances will allow the plant to produce up to eight different glass container types simultaneously, enabling flexibility, smaller production runs, faster reaction to market demands, lower inventory levels and reduced investment in molds. The plant is expected to be powered by a hybrid gas, electric and hydrogen oxy-fuel furnace capable of melting 490 metric tons of glass per day. An additional five megawatts of power will be provided by a solar power installation. Other sustainability measures will include the use of green hydrogen to reduce CO2 emissions, a closed-loop water system to minimise industrial waste and an on-site post-consumer glass recycling plant. The recycling plant will provide post-consumer glass cullet for use in the production of new containers. José de Diego Arozamena, chairman and CEO at Arglass, commented: “Glass is already the most sustainable, recyclable and healthy packaging material, and the only packaging material classified as ‘Generally Recognized As Safe’ by the FDA. I am incredibly proud to be leading the industry to new heights in sustainability.” Arglass raised a combination of structured equity and debt to finance the construction, which is expected to begin as soon as possible. The company’s VP of operations, Tony Krznâr, said that the facility is also expected to bring 150 new jobs to the Valdosta area.