February 20 (SeeNews) - Bulgarian glassware manufacturer Glass Contribution, owner of Rubin glass factory in the city of Pleven, will invest over 100 million levs ($54.32 million/51.13 million euro) in the construction of a 300-tonne furnace at the plant, the municipal government said on Monday.
The investment aims to reduce CO2 emissions and meet the criteria for sustainable production, and will create 150 new jobs, the Pleven municipality said in a statement. The furnace will be built with the help of German companies Nikolaus Sorg GmbH&Co.KG, Sorg Feuerungsbau und Service, and Excelsius Global Services.
The new facility is expected to launch at the beginning of next year, increasing the plant's production capacity by 80%, Rubin said in a separate statement.
Glass Contribution has already invested over 100 million levs as part of its programme to modernise equipment and maintain employment at the Pleven factory, the municipal authority said.
The Rubin plant manufactures glass bottles and jars for food, oil, spirits, wine and soft drinks. The factory has over 390 employees and exports its products to 18 countries across Europe and Asia.
(1 euro = 1.95583 levs)