Water plant boost to ICP production

Listed biological products maker ICP Biotechnology will treble production after a new water treatment facility is commissioned this week.

The Henderson-based company extracts proteins from blood plasma to make serum, biochemicals and other material used by other pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Managing director Earl Stevens said the supply of purified water was a bottleneck limiting the processing to about four tonnes of plasma a week.

Stevens said: "this week we're doing six tonne [of processing] ... next week we'll be on to 12 tonne.

"[In] the next six to eight months we'll ... build up the bulk inventory we need to actually be able to capture the demand that's there."

Shares closed flat yesterday at 18c.