The use of traditional petroleum based grease raises environmental and food safety concerns. On the other hand, there is a scarcity of local grease manufacturers in Malaysia, highlighting the necessity to transfer grease processing technology and reduce dependence on imported greases. According to a market study(Markets and Markets, 2022), the global grease market is growing at a 2.9% CAGR and is expected to reach USD6.1 billion by 2025. About 90% of grease consumption is accounted for by mineral greases, while the remainder (130 kT) is for bio based grease (Panchal et al., 2015; Sharma and Phadke, 2014). Based on a recent report (MordorIntelligence, 2023), the overall grease consumption in Malaysia is at least 15 kT, of which about 1.5 kT is bio-based grease. The overall grease consumption of the Malaysian palm oil industry is estimated tobe about 2 kT, considering the size of the industry relative to other industries.

Main researcher: Dr. Chan Chung Hung
E-mail: chan@mpob.gov.my