A strong performance in Asia has helped gases group BOC boost profits by more than a half.

The group, which employs 80 people on Teesside, reported that pre-tax profits in the six months to March 31 rose by 53 per cent to £359.9m.

BOC, which employs 46,000 people and serves two million customers in more than 50 countries, said its process gas solutions operation had also gained from the acquisition of an increased stake in a nitrogen joint venture in Mexico.

Turnover in the division's UK operation rose largely as a result of recovering higher power costs in selling prices.

It said the sale of its US packaged gas business had reduced turnover in its industrial and special products division, but led to significantly higher operating profits.

Demand at its BOC Edwards semiconductor division in the second quarter remained stable, leading to quarterly operating profits below the level of a year ago, but similar to that of the previous quarter.

Profits at BOC Edwards, which does much of its business in dollars, continued to be affected by the weakness of the currency.

Chief executive Tony Isaac said: "Once again, BOC is able to report double-digit earnings per share growth, a strong cash flow performance and a further improvement in return on capital.''

The group's overall operating profits in the second quarter were £144.8m, compared with £137m previously.