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Cepsa JV starts up oleochemicals plant in Indonesia

| By Mary Bailey

Sinar Mas Cepsa

Cepsa

Sinar Mas Cepsa, a wholly-owned joint venture (JV) between Compañía Española de Petróleos S.A.U. (Cepsa; Madrid, Spain; www.cepsa.com) and vertically integrated palm-oil company Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), inaugurated its first oleochemicals plant in Indonesia (photo), which represents an investment of €300 million made over 2 years. The plant will produce fatty alcohols from sustainably sourced palm kernel oil, a key ingredient in the manufacture of everyday products such as household cleaning goods and personal care products.

The plant’s inauguration ceremony in Dumai, Sumatra was attended by officials and dignitaries from the Indonesian Ministry of Industry.  

Cepsa’s CEO, Pedro Miró, said: “Cepsa’s chemicals business is key to our growth strategy. We have a diversified portfolio, and we are leaders in those areas where we operate in the chemical industry. Our entrance into the fatty alcohols market is another step in our internationalization plan, and of course, we are doing it alongside the best possible partner.”

Chairman and CEO of GAR, Franky Widjaja, said: “This joint venture was created with a mutual vision to develop a global leading position in fatty alcohols and its derivatives, based on a supply of sustainably sourced raw materials. Sinar Mas Cepsa’s vertical integration and the launch of the Dumai plant is a critical step in achieving this vision.”

Sinar Mas Cepsa CEO, Kung Chee Whan, said: “The Dumai plant leverages Cepsa’s technology and expertise in oleochemicals, and relies on GAR for raw materials—marking the second plant of this partnership. Having already secured a foothold in Europe through the acquisition of our surfactant plant in Germany, we will definitely look into further downstream projects or expansion capacity in this part of the world.”