Lipochem to build biodiesel plant for Biomaza

Brazil’s Biocombustiveis da Amazonia Ltda. (Biomaza) and Malaysian process engineering firm Lipochem (M) Sdn. Bhd. have signed a deal to build a 100,000 metric ton per year biodiesel plant in Brazil, Biomaza President Iderlon Azevedo told Dow Jones Newswires. Biomaza signed a US$10 million deal with Lipochem under which the latter will build a multi-feedstock biofuels plant in a free trade zone in Manaus, the second-largest metropolitan area in northern Brazil. The plant, which will be based on technology developed by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, is scheduled to be operational by January 2011. Biomaza plans to source 50%-60% of its palm feedstock requirements, or 50,000-60,000 tons, from Indonesia and Malaysia, and the rest from Brazil. (March 12, 2010)