Eonmetall plant boosts CPO extraction

F O C US M tonnes to 9.3 M tonnes, or about two-thirds of production in the Charter area. Per tonne of production, the average amount of energy consumed was 1.1 GJ (1.3 GJ in 2005), water consumption was 1.4 m3 (1.6 m3), CO2 emitted 66.9 kg (80.9 kg), other waste 12.9 kg (10.2 kg) and the amount of poorly biodegradable organics (PBO) purchased 25.4 kg (16.2 kg). AISE comments that the reporting base is still expanding and that, while 2005 data were dominated by laundry products and other highvolume household products, the 2006 data is more representative of the full range of AISE product categories; the baseline cannot therefore yet be considered stable. AISE believes the energy and CO2 savings are real and encouraging but cautions that it is too early to discern real trends for some of the other parameters. The apparently discouraging figure for PBO consumption is in fact largely due to the replacement of phosphate builders with zeolites and polymeric co-builders and the trend towards more concentrated products, AISE explains. The aim of the Charter is to drive the industry towards continual improvement in terms of sustainability. Participating company Reckitt Benckiser has demonstrated its commitment to this cause by independently undertaking to cut the overall carbon footprint of its products by 20% by 2020 (p 7); and hopefully others will follow its lead. Caroline Edser

RAW MATERIALS Paraffin: Sasol reducing its activities in Europe In Augusta, Sicily, Italy, Sasol is indefinitely shuttering a portion of its normal paraffin (n-paraffin) plant in order to streamline costs. The company has closed 220,000 tonnes/y of n-paraffin capacity at the site but partial operations will continue. The company will continue to have 550,000 tonne/y worldwide capacity of n-paraffin, with operations at Sarroch, Italy, and Lake Charles, LA, USA, remaining at full scale. 2

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Sasol said the closure would not affect its in-house n-paraffin supply for its linear alkylbenzene (LAB) plants located in Augusta and Lake Charles, and it will still be able to supply its global customers. The closure forms part of the restructuring of its Olefins and Surfactants division.

being at Ringgit 2700/tonne. Eonmetall has already secured orders from major plantation companies in Malaysia for two more solvent extraction plants, to be delivered in 2008.

ICIS Chemical Business, 26 Nov 2007, (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com) & Chemical Week, 5 Dec 2007, (Website: http://www.chemweek.com)

Rapid capacity growth of long-chain fatty alcohols in China

Palm-Oleo buys Klang operations Palm-Oleo SDN Bhd has acquired the Klang businesses in Malaysia and related operations of UK-based Croda for £9.8 M. Croda reported the completion of the deal at the end of Sep 2007. The Klang unit, which operated under Croda’s Uniqema oleochemicals division, manufactures glycerine, fatty acids, fatty acid esters and soap. Oils and Fats International, Nov 2007, 23 (7), 10

Eonmetall plant boosts CPO extraction Eonmetall Group Bhd is all set to supply a solvent extraction plant to a major plantation player in Johor Baru, the first such plant in Malaysia. Eonmetall’s technology, which the company has been developing since 2004, enables the extraction of oil from palm fibre by using a combination of mechanical and chemical processes. Palm fibre is a palm fruit waste product that is generally burnt to generate steam or thrown away. The oil extracted from the fibre can be processed as crude palm oil (CPO). A significant demand exists for the technology, since plantation companies intend to maximize oil extraction rates using solvent extraction technology as palm oil becomes expensive and as land for planting becomes increasingly difficult to acquire. The technology, which is pending patent registration, can increase the oil extraction rate in Malaysia by 0.6%/y. A recent report from the Palm Oil Research Institute of Malaysia shows that the total volume of palm fibre in fresh fruit bunches is about 12 M tonnes/y, which can be used for additional extraction of 72,000 tonnes/y of CPO. This will result in revenues of Ringgit 200 M for the Malaysian palm oil industry, with the CPO price currently

The Star, 4 Oct 2007, (Website: http://www.thestar.com.my)

Chinese capacity for long-chain fatty alcohols reached 200,000 tonne/y in 2006, but low operating rates meant that output levels were only about 100,000 tonnes. A joint venture involving Sasol of South Africa was due to commission a 100,000 tonne/y plant during 2007 and Shangqiu Longyu Chemical Co Ltd should complete a 30,000 tonne/y expansion. In 2008, Liaoyang Huaxing Chemical Co Ltd will start up an 80,000 tonne/y unit, making it the largest Chinese producer of fatty alcohols with a capacity of 140,000 tonne/y. Deyuan (Jiangsu) Hi-Tech Co Ltd also plans to commission a 100,000 tonne/y unit in 2008. Kerry Oils and Grains (China) Co Ltd is building a 45,000 tonne/y unit and Jiangsu YongLin Chemical Co Ltd is to spend RMB Yuan 60 M on a 20,000 tonne/y plant. These and other projects will enable Chinese capacity for long-chain fatty alcohols to increase to over 700,000 tonne/y in 2008. Chinese demand for long-chain fatty alcohols rose from 221,000246,000 tonnes in 2000 to 529,000705,000 tonnes in 2006. China Chemical Reporter, 16 Oct 2007, 18 (29), 16-17

SURFACTANTS An alternative surfactant for hair care products Stepan Co is introducing Stepan-Mild L3, a naturally-based secondary surfactant targeted at personal care applications, primarily hair and skin care formulations. Stepan-Mild L3 is derived from lactic acid and lauryl alcohol. It is thin and colourless and functions as an emulsifier, viscosity builder and emollient, among others, for such actives as triclosan and salicylic acid. The preparation also delivers softness and moisturization JANUARY 2008