CENTRE FOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERING STUDIES

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

PALM OIL MANUFACTURING AND APPLICATION

CHE323

ASSIGMENT 1: INDUTRIAL VISIT REPORT

FGV PALM INDUSTRIES SDN BHD

KILANG SAWIT LOK HENG

NUR ANIS BINTI ZULKIFLI

2020450598
J4EH1105D

PREPARED FOR : SITI HAJAR ANAZIAH MOHAMAD

Table of Contents
1.0 BACKGROUND OF THE COMPANY .......................................................................... 3

1.1 THE OBJECTIVE ......................................................................................................... 3

2.0 DESCRIPTION OF MILLING KEY PROCESS IN THE PLANT ............................. 4

2.1 FRESH FRUIT BUNCHES (FFB) ........................................................................................ 4

2.2 STERILIZATION ................................................................................................................ 4
2.3 THRESHING ...................................................................................................................... 5
2.4 DIGESTING AND PRESSING (OIL EXTRACTION) .............................................................. 5
2.5 OIL CLARIFICATION ........................................................................................................ 5
2.6 NUT AND KERNEL STATION ............................................................................................ 5

3.0 CHARACTERISTICS OF PALM OIL PRODUCTS THAT HAD BEEN

PRODUCED. ............................................................................................................................ 6

4.0 PALM OIL PRODUCTS UTILIZATION AND DEMAND OF THE COMPANY. ... 6

5.0 THE OVERVIEW OF OIL PALM SUPPLY CHAIN. .................................................. 7

5.1 PLANTATION .................................................................................................................... 7

5.2 MILLING .......................................................................................................................... 7
5.3 REFINERY......................................................................................................................... 8
5.4 MANUFACTURING ............................................................................................................ 8

6.0 SUSTAINABLE FRAMEWORK THAT HAD BEING APPLIED IN THE PLANT. 9

7.0 SIMPLE ANALYSIS SUMMARY/REPORT. .............................................................. 10

8.0 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................ 10

9.0 APPENDICES .................................................................................................................. 11

9.1 THE PROCESS OF MILLING PALM OIL ............................................................................ 11

9.2 THE VISITS ..................................................................................................................... 12

10.0 REFERENCES............................................................................................................... 13
1.0 BACKGROUND OF THE COMPANY

FGV Holdings Berhad, formerly known as Felda Global Ventures Holdings Berhad, listed on
the main market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad since June 2012, is one of the world’s
largest plantation companies and producers of Crude Palm Oil (CPO). It is an affiliate of the
Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA).With a total land bank of around 440,000
hectares in Malaysia and Indonesia, they produce approximately 3 million tonnes of CPO
annually.
Kilang Sawit Lok Heng is one of the factory under FGV SDN BHD, which is one of
the world’s largest producers of crude palm oil (CPO). Kilang Sawit Lok Heng was located in
Kota Tinggi, Johor. Lok Heng Palm Oil Mill produces only crude palm oil to send it to the
others refinery manufacturers.

Figure 1: Lok Heng Palm Oil Mill visit

Figure 1 above is the photo of 5D class and the lecturer in charge together with the
person in charge in Lok Heng Palm Oil Mill. This factory produces 40 mt/hr of crude palm oil
and the operation started on 1982. They have 84 workers in total with the width of 21.28 HA.

1.1 THE OBJECTIVE

The objective of this plant visit is to give a real-live experience and exposure about milling
process in palm oil.
2.0 DESCRIPTION OF MILLING KEY PROCESS IN THE
PLANT
Figure 2 below is the full workflow in Kilang Sawit Lok Heng to produce their products, which
crude palm oil (CPO).

Figure 2: Kilang Sawit Lok Heng's Workflow of Palm Oil Mill

2.1 Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB)

The first process in the milling process is bunch reception. The fresh fruit arrives from the field
as bunches or loose fruit. There are three (3) types of fresh fruit bunch (FFB) according to
person in charge in Kilang Sawit Lok Heng, Mr Saiful Anwar, Laboratory Analyst, which is
ripe, unripe, and mengkal (half-ripe). The ripe FFB has loose 10 fruitlets, while the unripe FFB
has none loose fruitlets and the half-ripe has less than 10 loose fruitlets. The fruit then carried
by truck to loading ramp to ensure the old fruits are taken for the processing. The
Manufacturing Instruction (MQI) ensure the unripe FFB will separated before carried the next
process. The FFB were sieved to removed impurities and transfer into the transport machine to
deliver the FFB into the sterilization tank.

2.2 Sterilization

Sterilization is a process where the high temperature is used to softening the fruit and also kill
the bacteria. This increase the moisture content of fruit and separate the fruits easily. They are
using the continuous sterilizer (CS) and steam sprayer while operating on the conveyor for 88
minutes.
2.3 Threshing

After the fruit being sterilized, it will go through the threshing process, where the palm fruit
will separated from the palm bunches. The thresher length is 20ft with the spike as the brunch
splinter inside and the hole anti-bunch. The 2 units of single thresher were used to prevent the
overload. The empty bunch after threshing will be shredded and press due to 4% of oil content.
The shredded been sold for RM13 per ton to be use for fuel and fertilizers.

2.4 Digesting and Pressing (Oil Extraction)

Before the palm fruits transport to the digester and press, it will transport to pressure cooker
with temperature100°C. Then, the palm fruits will cook again in the digester to mix and cook
under temperature range between 95°C to 100°C, and pressure 2.4 bar. The inspector will
inspect the pressure to ensure the pressure is not under 1 bar to avoid the palm fruits uncooked.
After the cooking process in the digester, the palm fruit will be pressed by the presser to
separate three (3) components, which are oil, mesocarp, and nut. In the presser, the moisture
content must be checked and ensure the moisture content range is below 45%.

2.5 Oil Clarification

Crude palm oil (CPO) first diluted with water washing, through settlement and filtration, the
fiber material removed from the oil, and then carry out continuous settlement. The oil and the
sludge taken out separated with the composition of 30% oil, 30% water, and 40% sludge under
temperature range 90°C to 100°C by sludge separator for oil recovery. Next is oil purifier,
where all the dirt were removed and reduce the moisture content from 80% to 50%. After that,
vacuum dryer, where drying process was occurred. The target moisture content is 16%, but
normally get around 20%. Then, the oil will be kept in bulk storage tank.

2.6 Nut and Kernel Station

Nut does not process for oil content, but it will be crushed to get shell and kernel in nut silo. In
nut silo, nut will be dried for 14 hours at 68°C to reduce the moisture of the nut until it less
than 14%. Next, nut will be cracked by nutcracker.
3.0 CHARACTERISTICS OF PALM OIL PRODUCTS THAT
HAD BEEN PRODUCED.

Kilang Sawit Lok Heng produced crude palm oil (CPO) to be transport to the other refinery
plant. There are few of characteristics of crude palm oil (CPO) that been produced by Kilang
Sawit Lok Heng. First, the crude palm oil (CPO) are semi solid at room temperature due,
respectively, to ratio of 50:50 unsaturated and saturated fatty acid composition. Other than that,
the reddish-orange colour of the CPO due to the presence of the carotenes and vitamin E, which
are abundant in the oil that confer natural stability against oxidative deterioration.

4.0 PALM OIL PRODUCTS UTILIZATION AND DEMAND OF

THE COMPANY.

The products that been produce by Kilang Sawit Lok Heng is crude palm oi (CPO). CPO will
be refined to produce high quality cooking oil. The CPO can be used for food and non-food
applications.

Figure 3: Palm Oil Consumption in Malaysia

In the year of 2020/21, the domestic consumption of palm oil in Malaysia was around 3.37
million metric tons, which less than the year before. This is due to global pandemic that effected
the consumption of palm oil in Malaysia. The demand of palm oil still stable because the gap
between the year before was not big.
5.0 THE OVERVIEW OF OIL PALM SUPPLY CHAIN.
Supply chain is a multiple stages of the process until it reach the point of sale. Figure 3 below
shows the simple flow of palm oil supply chain.

Plantation Milling Refinery Manufacturing

Figure 4: Simple Palm Oil Supply Chain

5.1 Plantation

To establish the oil palm plantation, getting a good site is one of the important things. The
favourable climate for oil palm tree growth also needs to be research due to the type of oil palm
tree, which is a tropical and grows best in stable-warm areas with sufficient soil moisture. The
optimal temperatures for the cultivation of palm oil are around 30°C to 32°C for minimum of
80 days. For the temperatures that do not follow the spec are critical for growing and adversely
affect crop production. The suitable soils are at least one (1) meter deep for root development,
rich in organic meter, having sufficient soil moisture, and the pH is in the range of 4.0 to 8.0.
Oil palms tree are typically propagated with seeds taken from the fruits. Seed treatment is
needed because improperly prepared seeds will germinate after couple of years due to long
dormancy time. After germination, sprouts are planted into plastic polyethylene bags with
equal ratios of topsoil, sand, and properly decomposed cattle manure. They will be remains for
about 4 to 5 months or until they develop a bifid leaf. Then the bifid-leaved sprout continues
in plantation nursery about a year. Finally, seedlings with about 12 to 15 leaves and minimum
one meter high are mature enough and ready for growing in palm plantation.

5.2 Milling

There are major operational steps, which are bunch reception and loading ramp, sterilization,
threshing, digestion and pressing, oil clarification, and nut and kernel station. After the fresh
fruit bunches (FFB) graded by the numbers of loose fruitlets, they then carried by truck to
loading ramp. Loading ramp is taking out the old fruits for the processing. Next, the
sterilization process, which the high temperature was used to kill the bacteria and softening the
fruits. This process also avoids the raising of free fatty acid. After sterilization, FFB will
undergo the threshing process to separate the palm fruit and empty fruit bunches. The palm
fruits will be transported to the digester to mix and cooked again. This is to separate the palm
pulp and nut. Then, they will be pressed by the presser to gain the oil. After that, they will
undergo the oil clarifying. For nut, which not process for oil content, will be crushed to get
shell and kernel. The shell can be used as fuel for boilers, and the kernel will be dried for
storage and sell to others. Figure below is crude palm oil milling process.

Figure 5: Crude Palm Oil Milling Process

5.3 Refinery

After the crude palm oil (CPO) gain from milling process, they will be undergoing the refining
process, which divide by two types of refining in figure below, physical refining, and chemical
refining.

Figure 6: Refining of Crude Palm Oil

5.4 Manufacturing
The palm oil is delivered to the manufacturers followed by the demands. There are few of
industrial that uses of palm oil, such as food products, detergents, cosmetics, and to a small
extent, biofuel.
6.0 SUSTAINABLE FRAMEWORK THAT HAD BEING
APPLIED IN THE PLANT.

The global demand for palm oil continues to increase along with growth of the world
population. The versality of palm oil as an ingredient in products ranging from processed food
to cosmetics and biofuel and many more. The sustainability of this plant as a palm oil mill
production is on the social and environmental.
The concerns on the social are the productivity, occupational safety and health, and
worker’s right, welfare and labour issues. The productivity of the workers or the reliance of
foreign labour in plantation is always a concern. This is because of the locals are way too focus
on getting a job in the city rather than in the rural area. The foreigners are tend to work in
plantation as the job scope can be label as the heavy duty. Due to the heavy duty, they were
exposed with the unsafety and unhealthy act, which puts them in the risks. This issues can be
develop by the sustainable development issues. The employer of Kilang Sawit Lok Heng
managed to protect workers’ rights by ensure good health, safety and employment conditions.
All the employees and contractors shall be appropriately trained to avoid any accidents happen.
The environmental issues are deforestation, wildlife extinction, and climate change.
Malaysia commits to retain 50% of its total land area under natural forest cover and for the
wildlife extinction, conservation needs been made. The rare, threatened, or endangered species
were protect. Most of the palm oil milling industry produced a type of effluent that contributes
to the production of greenhouse gases, which leads to climate change. The untreated waste
water from the effluents also cause the water pollution. As Kilang Sawit Lok Heng use the
KLEBAT for the hydrocyclon, which produce waste water. They managed their waste water
by implementing water treatment system. The treated water will be used within the plant area
or as a reservoir, which located behind the manufacturing area.
7.0 SIMPLE ANALYSIS SUMMARY/REPORT.
During the plant visit in Kilang Sawit Lok Heng, a sample of crude palm oil (CPO) were taken
and been analyse to observe few of the parameters.
Table 1: Crude Palm Oil Analysis

Parameters Results
pH 6.64
Conductivity 0.15 mg/L
Salinity 4 ppm

From the Table 1 above, the pH reading for crude palm oil (CPO) is 6.64, which is slightly
acidic. This is because of the hydrolysis of triglycerides by active lipase present in the mesocarp
of oil palm fruits at maturity.
The conductivity of crude palm oil (CPO) is 0.15 mg/L. This means the crude palm oil
(CPO) is a bad conductor of electricity. The salinity of crude palm oil (CPO) is 4ppm. This is
maybe due to the use of mineral salts during the milling process to improve the production of
crude palm oil and controlling the oil lost.

8.0 CONCLUSION
By visiting Kilang Sawit Lok Heng, students of J4EH1105D managed to get a real-live
experience and exposure about milling process in palm oil. This help them in learning by
understanding the process more compared to just learning in the syllabus without seeing the
process in real-lives. Other than that, students also gain a new knowledge regarding the process
conditions and the equipment used for certain process. In conclusion, the objective of this plant
visit to Kilang Sawit Lok Heng was achieved successfully even though the weather not as
expecting.
9.0 APPENDICES
9.1 The process of milling palm oil

Figure 7: FFB Reception Figure 8: Loading Ramp

Figure 9: Threshing Figure 10: Nut Silo

Figure 11: Sludge

9.2 The visits

Figure 12: Start the trip Figure 13: Pressing process lesson

Figure 14: In nut storage Figure 15: Closing ceremony

10.0 REFERENCES
1. Statista. (2022, January). Malaysia: palm oil consumption 2019. Statista.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/489441/palm-oil-consumption-malaysia/
2. CGad. (n.d.). Cepatwawasan Group Berhad | Product - Crude Palm Oil.
Cepatwawasan Group Berhad. Retrieved December 29, 2022, from
http://cepatgroup.com/our-business-product-crude-palm-oil/
3. Likeng-Li-Ngue, B. C., Ntsomboh-Ntsefong, G., Ngando-Ebongue, G. F., Ngalle-Bille,
H., Nyouma, A., & Bell, J. M. (2017). A review of main factors affecting palm oil
acidity within the smallholder oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) sector in
Cameroon. African Journal of Food Science, 11(9), 296–301.
https://doi.org/10.5897/ajfs2017.1611
4. Mawardi, I., Aprilia, S., Faisal, M., & Rizal, S. (2022). Investigation of thermal
conductivity and physical properties of oil palm trunks/ramie fiber reinforced
biopolymer hybrid composites as building bio-insulation. Materials Today:
Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2022.01.249
5. Palm Oil Supply Chain. (2010). Schuster Institute Investigative Journalism.
https://www.schusterinstituteinvestigations.org/palm-oil-supply-chain
6. Oil Palm Plantation: Cultivation & Management Tips For Growers. (2021, August 31).
Eos.com. https://eos.com/blog/oil-palm-plantation/