May 23, 2008

 

Dutch company Ingrepro to invest in feed additive plant in Malaysia

 

 

Dutch biotechnology company Ingrepro BV Wednesday announced its plan to invest over EUR 10 million (RM49.8 million) in algae plantations for healthcare products, feed additives and development of the PowerFarm concept in Malaysia.

 

The PowerFarm to be set up at Technology Park Malaysia is an industrial large scale algae production plant to produce cradle-to-cradle renewable biodiesel and biogas.

 

It will produce algae for biomass using industrial and agricultural waste water, said Ingrepro's director and chief executive officer Carel Callenbach after signing a technology transfer and business collaboration agreement with Biomac Corp Sdn Bhd and a memorandum of understanding with Algaechem Sdn Bhd .

 

Ingrepro specialises in industrial large-scale algae production.

 

Since 2001, it has been actively involved in the development of high yield algal ponds for the production of tailor-made algae.

 

Callenbach said the agreement with Biomac Corp was for the production of biofuel from algae while the pact with Algaechem was to produce algae for oxidants, beta-carotene and astaxanthin.

 

Malaysia's conducive weather conditions to grow algae, the government's interest in agro biotechnology and the favourable business infrastructure were some of the reasons why Ingrepro chose to set up the plant in the country.

 

Witnessing the signing ceremony were International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who said Malaysia's total trade with the Netherlands amounted to RM26.88 billion last year.

 

The Netherlands is Malaysia's second largest trading partner and export market within the European Union (EU).

 

For the first three months of 2008, Malaysia's exports to the Netherlands amounted to RM5.29 billion while imports totalled RM0.92 billion. Muhyiddin said there was potential in using Rotterdam as a centre for the expansion of halal food and non-food industries.

 

Muhyiddin also said that Malaysia had taken the initiative to promote its corridor development and opportunities were available for Dutch companies to explore in agricultural and agro-based industries.

 

He noted that between January and March this year, a total of four such projects were approved with the investments amounting to RM93.3 million (US$29.0 million).