Glassware producer Pasabahce Bulgaria, part of Turkish glass manufacturing group Sisecam, is to invest Bul28.5 million (US$15 million) into an upgrade and capacity expansion Targovishte, northeastern Bulgaria facility.

The company will automate production and optimise the work process, as well as include new technological equipment, the Bulgarian Ministry of Innovation and Growth said.

The planned modernisation will lead to an increase in plant capacity, an expansion of the product range and faster inspection of finished glass products, thus achieving higher production targets.

It is planned to build solar panels that will be used to power the factory’s own needs. As a support measure, it will receive government financing to build parts of the technical infrastructure.

Pasabahce Bulgaria makes float glass, glass packaging, glassware and glass fibre. It has an output capacity of up to 150,000 tonnes per year, with products made at the plant exported to Europe, the Americas and North Africa.

Sisecam makes flat glass in Bulgaria through its unit Trakya Glass Bulgaria, also in Targovishte, car glass through Sisecam Automotive Bulgaria and also has soda ash production through Solvay Sodi in Devnya, a joint venture with Belgium's Solvay Group.

The Sisecam group also operates plants in Turkey, Romania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in South-East Europe.