PCG SET TO BE SOLE MELAMINE PRODUCER IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA
PETrONas Chemicals group Berhad launches new melamine plant in gurun, Kedah.
PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG) launched its melamine plant project in the vicinity of its PETRONAS Chemicals Fertiliser Kedah Sdn Bhd (PCFK) complex in Gurun yesterday.
The plant is targeted to go onstream in 2024 with a capacity of 60,000 tonnes per annum, making PCG the sole melamine producer in South-East Asia.
Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor officiated at the project launch which was attended by PCG managing director/chief executive officer Ir Mohd Yusri Mohamed Yusof and Land Management Division senior assistant district officer Mohamad Shahuri Mohamad Norlin, among others.
“I am very delighted that we can witness yet another PETRONAS project, specifically PCG’s, in Kedah,” said Muhammad Sanusi at the event.
“PCG’s subsidiary PCFK, which has been operating since 1999, has played an important role in the state’s economic development.
“It is my hope that this melamine plant will further strengthen the area as a chemical-producing zone with international standards in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.
Mohd Yusri said: “This is an important project for PCG as it further strengthens our strategy of diversifying our product portfolio by adding value to the molecules from our existing products such as urea, methanol, polyolefins, and others.
“More importantly, being the only melamine producer in the region, we will be able to meet the Malaysian demand and serve the regional market, which is currently a net importer of melamine.
“In view of the robust demand in the emerging South-East Asian markets, we are confident that this investment will further contribute to PCG’s growth.”
Swiss tech
In building the melamine plant, PCG will utilise an industry-proven technology from Switzerland which will enable the plant to operate with high efficiency especially in terms of energy consumption.
The plant which uses urea produced from PCFK as feedstock will enable PCG to offer high-quality products at more competitive prices as maximum integration with existing PCFK complex allows a minimum investment in utilities and other costs.
This project reflects PCG’s commitment to fulfil the increasing demand for high-quality products, particularly in the construction and household industries in line with population growth.
Melamine possesses versatile characteristics such as fire retardancy, sound absorption as well as abrasion-, stain- and moisture-resistant properties – enabling it to penetrate various applications such as laminates, wood adhesives, moulding compounds, surface coatings, paper and textile treating applications.
About PCG
PCG, the leading integrated chemicals producer in Malaysia and one of the largest in SouthEast Asia, operates a number of world-class production sites which are fully vertically integrated from feedstock to downstream end-products.
With a total combined production capacity of 12.8 million metric tons per annum (mtpa), it is involved primarily in manufacturing, marketing and selling a diversified range of chemical products – including olefins, polymers, fertilisers, methanol and other basic chemicals and derivative products.
Listed on Bursa Malaysia in 2010 and with more than three decades of experience in the chemicals industry, PCG was established as part of the PETRONAS Group to maximise value from Malaysia’s natural gas resources.
PCG is one of the top 10 companies in the FTSE4Good Bursa Malaysia Index, out of 200 largest companies ranked by market capitalisation.
PCG is listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, which represents the top 10% of the largest 2,500 companies in the S&P Global BMI based on economic, environment and social criteria.
PCG is committed to ensuring that its business practices are in line with globally recognised standards for economic, environment, social and governance (EESG) practices.