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SD Guthrie International (SDGI), the downstream arm of SD Guthrie Berhad, has expanded its manufacturing capabilities in Liverpool, UK, with a new enzymatic interesterification (EIE) facility.
The investment adds two independent EIE production lines, each with a capacity of up to 20,000 tonnes. The expansion also includes new storage tanks, a loading bay, weighbridge and effluent treatment plant.
EIE uses enzymes to selectively rearrange fatty acids within a fat structure, enabling manufacturers to develop fats with specific functional characteristics. Unlike chemical interesterification, the enzyme-based process at SDGI’s Liverpool facility has been designed to operate under milder processing conditions and does not require post-treatment.
According to SDGI, this can improve process efficiency while reducing effluent generation and the overall environmental impact of production.
Richard Town, chief operations officer (manufacturing) at SDGI, said the expanded facility would enable the company to develop tailored palm-based fat solutions for a range of food applications.
These include margarines and spreads requiring smoothness, spreadability and controlled melting; bakery fats requiring structure, aeration and consistent performance; and biscuit fillings and confectionery requiring stability, controlled melting and specific mouthfeel.
The facility will also produce specialty fats for customised applications, supporting food manufacturers seeking fats with specific performance characteristics.
“This expanded capability strengthens our ability to respond to customers’ evolving needs, while enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of our manufacturing operations,” Town said.
The investment is intended to strengthen SD Guthrie’s downstream capabilities by enabling the company to transform palm oil into higher-value, specialised fat solutions.
Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, president and group chief executive officer of Guthrie, said: “The new EIE facility is about more precision and more possibilities. More precision in how we develop products with specific functional characteristics, and more possibilities to help our customers meet evolving market demands.”
Haris added that the investment would support the company’s sustainability ambitions under its ‘Beyond Zero’ framework while enabling it to capture greater value across the palm oil value chain.
The Liverpool expansion also increases SDGI’s ability to produce palm-based fat systems with specific functional properties locally for UK customers. The company said this could help reduce the carbon footprint associated with supplying the UK market.
The new EIE lines complement SDGI’s existing manufacturing capabilities and form part of SD Guthrie’s wider strategy to strengthen its downstream business through technology, innovation and higher-value products.
SD Guthrie produces and sells a range of palm oil derivatives, including oleochemicals, biodiesel and nutraceuticals, alongside its palm oil operations across Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
