French labware producer marketing manager Jean-François Pollet said the plant started with four injection molding machines from Netstal and KraussMaffei, with clamping forces ranging from 80-300 metric tons.

Pollet said the machines were moved from Plastiques Gosselin's headquarters plant in Borre, France. They will operate in a 7,500-square-foot clean room and another 7,500-square-foot controlled environment area.

Plastiques Gosselin made the decision in 2009 to set up production in the United Kingdom as its largest export market.

While Plastiques Gosselin products are used in clinical analysis, microbiology, the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries and in environmental analysis, the Blackburn plant will initially focus on the clinical and food-testing markets.

John Edgington manages the new site and its 23 employees. The company said the number of employees will rise to 37 in 2011, as it is plans to soon make 60 million products annually in the United Kingdom.

Announcement of the new Blackburn plant was made prior to the Aug. 13 announcement that Corning, N.Y.,-based Corning Inc. plans to buy Plaslab, the holding company of Plastiques Gosselin, and to integrate Plastiques Gosselin within its life sciences unit.

With 2010 sales of around 45 million euros ($58 million) and claiming to be Europe's largest manufacturer of Petri dishes, Plastiques Gosselin has production in Borre, France, and Stax, Tunisia.