Bioscience company in Charlottetown completes expansion, announces another

Sekisui Diagnosticsin Charlottetown's West Royalty Business Park is announcing an expansion of its facility Tuesday, even as it cuts the ribbon on a just-completed expansion.

The international biosciencecompany has completed a $6-million expansion and will now invest in another, the provincial government said in a news release.

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The province spent$3.5 million on the first expansion, which it plans to recoup through its lease arrangement withSekisui, and will invest in the new one as well.A news release sent by the province's Department of Economic Development did not attach a dollar amount to the new expansion.

The recently completed expansion and renovation included two new automated packaging lines, a cold storage building and a retrofit of their manufacturing and office areas, the province said.

34 full-time jobs

Sekisuiprovides in-vitro diagnostic kits and supporting chemicals for hospitals and clinics worldwide.

"Since 2011 their workforce has grown by 34 full-time positions and we expect that number to grow even further with the expansion announced here today," Economic Development Minister Heath MacDonald said in a statement.

The new expansion includes a new building that the provincial government will pay for, again recouping the costs through a lease with Sekisui.

The province says the number of people working in bioscience on P.E.I. has tripled since 2005 to 1,500 employees.

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