OLEON, the Oleo-Chemicals branch of the AVRIL agro-industrial group (ex-Sofiproteol – France) inaugurates new R&D lab in Malaysia.
Moussa Naciri, CEO of Oleon, recently announced the inauguration of a new research center in Port Klang Malaysia:
“To deal with specific market requirements more effectively, we are opening a research centre at Port Klang in Malaysia, where we already have two factories. Its mission will be to evaluate our products’ performance with our local customers, and develop innovations for the food, cosmetics and lubricants markets.”
Oleon, a European leader in biochemistry, manufactures and markets molecules based on vegetable oil and animal fat.
These bio-sourced products, which come from renewable raw materials are respectful of human health and the environment.
They are based on the principles of green chemistry, which involves reducing the use of energy, materials, and discharges of solid, liquid and gas effluents.
They are used in a wide variety of industrial sectors such as lubricants, cosmetics, food additives, crop protection, petroleum extraction, glues, surfacing, adhesives and building materials.
Oleon constantly invests in its five research laboratories in Europe and Asia, in order to pinpoint its customers’ needs and give shape to them in innovative products.
Avril is involved in several biotechnology projects through partnerships – for example, with Fermentalg, a company specializing in the production of oils and proteins based on microalgae, and with the Institut P.I.V.E.R.T., which is researching new processes for making use of the entire plant.
Avril is also a partner of Toulouse White Biotech (TWB) , whose mission is to foster the interface between public research and industry in white biotechnologies in France.
For the last few years, the Avril Group has been heavily investing in industrial biotechnologies (or white biotechnologies).
These produce a wide variety of molecules based on raw plant materials, using biotechnology processes like fermentation through the action of micro-organisms, and enzymatic catalysis.
Oleon has installed a pilot fermentation facility at its site in Venette (near Compiègne in France), consisting of several bioreactors.
This unit is a major advance for the group in developing and industrializing biotechnology processes. It will help to perfect a new generation of increasingly high-tech molecules.
A few examples of these products are highlighted below:
- Radia 7285
This polyol derived from rapeseed oil is used to produce the bituminous surfacing used to waterproof roofs and engineering constructions.
It makes the surfacing lighter, and gives the bitumen/polyurethane compound the essential qualities of adherence and long life.
- Radiagreen
These lubricant and adjuvant ranges are used by the oil drilling industry as friction reducer between tools and the surrounding formation, thus improving drilling performances.
- Radia 6074
A vegetable oil derivative, this solvent is used in printing inks which respect users’ health and safety as well as the environment whilst bringing improved technical performances.