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AUBURN, ALA. — SiO2 Materials Science will invest $163 million to expand its Auburn plant that will produce vials and syringes to aid a potential COVID-19 vaccine. Construction is underway on the 70,000-square-foot project, which is located at 2425 Innovation Drive, less than one mile from SiO2’s current plant located at 2250 Riley St and seven miles southwest of Auburn University. SiO2 expects to create 220 jobs when the expansion is complete. In June, SiO2 announced a $143 million contract with federal government agencies for a production scale-up of the company’s packaging platform for storing coronavirus vaccines and therapeutics. Auburn-based SiO2 applies a patented glass-like coating to plastic surfaces.