CSIRO has sold its wool scour.
Unconfirmed reports indicate the buyer is Melbourne-based Ramsay McDonald, an importer of textile equipment and a processor of natural fibres.
The small-scale experimental scour, which for 20 years was part of the CSIRO early stage processing research at Belmont, was shut down in June.
While CSIRO said it no longer had need to do such research, the closure of the scour caused an angry backlash from alpaca, cashmere and black and coloured wool processors, who used the scour during its "downtime".
In June the scour was put to tender.
It is understood there were three expressions of interest.
CSIRO Belmont acting chief Dr Bill Humphries confirmed the sale last week.
Rokewood cashmere producer Trish Esson, who led a campaign for the retention of the scour in Australia, said she was delighted the scour had found a commercial home.
Ramsay McDonald was not available for comment this week.
