BASF PETRONAS Chemicals is a Malaysian-based joint venture, founded in 1997, between BASF SE and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), Malaysia's National Oil Company, under its subsidiary PETRONAS Chemicals Group (PCG).
BASF is the world's leading global chemical company and the leading producer of citral-based products worldwide. BASF also produces other aroma ingredients such as geraniol, citronellol, linalool and L-menthol, which are sold to the flavor and fragrance industry. The PETRONAS Chemicals Group, founded in 1997, is the leading integrated chemicals producer in Malaysia.
BASF PETRONAS Chemicals is building a facility in Kuantan, Malaysia for the production of citral and its precursors. Citral is identical to a component of lemongrass and other essential oils.
The goal is to help meet the growing demand of global customers for citral-based products, for example in the flavor and fragrance industry, especially in the Asia Pacific region. Associated downstream processes and plants will manufacture citronellol and L-menthol.