Visy broke ground on its $500 million glass recycling and remanufacturing factory outside Brisbane, Australia today.
The facility, which represents the largest investment Visy has ever made, will recycle up to 200,000 tonnes of Queensland’s glass annually to produce 1 billion bottles a year.
The site is expected to be operational in 2025.
Visy Executive Chairman Anthony Pratt said: “Recycling is an important weapon against climate change and the technology employed in this factory will help Australia to go from an average of 30% recycled glass content in bottles to 70%, which is moving towards world's-best practice.
“This ensures the majority of Queensland’s recyclable recovered glass containers from the state’s Container Deposit Scheme and kerbside recycling bins can be remanufactured right here in Queensland.”
The facility, in Stapylton just south of Brisbane, will be built next to Visy’s current box factory and beverage can plant.
It will support approximately 200 green collar manufacturing jobs once operational, and will bring Visy’s Queensland workforce to more than 1000 people.
The project will also create over 600 jobs in construction.
The project is underpinned by a long-term partnership with Asahi Beverages, and agreements with Visy customers including Lion, Bundaberg, and Coca Cola.
Pratt said the investment was made possible by the leadership of Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who joined Pratt at the groundbreaking, and her government’s support for Australian manufacturing.
It is part of Pratt’s 2021 pledge to invest $2 billion in Australian recycling and clean energy infrastructure over the ensuing decade, creating thousands of green collar, well-paying Australian manufacturing jobs.
This facility brings Visy’s total investment in Australia to over $11 billion.
Visy will relocate its current glass remanufacturing operations from South Brisbane in 2025.
