CIIF Oil Mills eyes biodiesel production

The Philippines’ largest oil miller, CIIF Oil Mills Group, is mulling producing biodiesel out of coconut oil. Company officers said that CIIF would not need much capital and production adjustment, as it already has feedstock and an integrated setup for biodiesel making, courtesy of its affiliate United Coconut Chemicals Inc. (Cocochem), which has an oleochemical plant that can be retrofitted to produce biodiesel. However, CIIF said it will wait for the Philippine government to increase its biodiesel blend mandate to 3% coconut oil before venturing into alternative fuels, in order to minimize losses. (June 19, 2009)