Producer

Emery Oleochemicals Group

HQ MY · Kuala Lumpurwebsite ↗

Emery Oleochemicals Group (Kuala Lumpur Malaysia; owned equally by PETRONAS Chemicals Group and Cognis — since 2012 by PETRONAS Chemicals and Sime Darby Plantation after Cognis acquisition by BASF; actual current ownership: Sime Darby Plantation and PETRONAS Chemicals Group, each ~50%) is a major Malaysian oleochemical producer. Emery's primary facility at Kluang, Johor is one of the largest dedicated oleochemical complexes in Malaysia, producing natural fatty acids (C12 lauric, C14 myristic, C16 palmitic, C18 stearic, oleic), fatty alcohols, glycerol, and specialty oleochemical derivatives. Emery traces its history to Emery Industries (Cincinnati Ohio, founded 1940s) — one of the original industrial oleochemical companies whose technology is the basis of much modern fat splitting and fractionation practice. The PETRONAS Chemicals ownership gives Emery access to Malaysian national oil company infrastructure and strategic insulation from purely market-driven ownership. Estimated global C12/C14 fatty acid market share: ~8-10%.

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  • Natural Fatty Acids

    45%
  • Fatty Alcohols

    25%
  • Glycerol & By-Products

    15%
  • Specialty Oleochemicals

    15%

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  • Origin2023

    Emery Oleochemicals traces to Emery Industries, Inc., founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in the late 1940s. Emery Industries developed the continuous high-pressure fat-splitting process that became the global standard for converting fats and oils into fatty acids and glycerol — known as the "Colgate-Emery process" from its joint development with Colgate-Palmolive chemists. The process uses water and high temperature/pressure to hydrolyze triglyceride bonds, releasing free fatty acids and glycerol. Before the Colgate-Emery process, industrial fat splitting was done with sulfuric acid (batch process, lower purity). The continuous countercurrent hydrolysis process from Cincinnati became the technology foundation for virtually every modern oleochemical facility worldwide — including KLK OLEO's Pasir Gudang complex, IOI's facilities, and the current Emery Kluang plant itself. Emery Industries was acquired by Henkel in 1989, spun off as Cognis in 1999, and Cognis was acquired by BASF in 2011 — but the Malaysian operations were structured as a joint venture with PETRONAS Chemicals and Sime Darby that remained separate. The Cincinnati company that invented the fundamental chemical process of the modern oleochemical industry has a direct descendant operating in Malaysia under joint venture with Malaysia's national oil company.

    Emery Oleochemicals Group