The $A27.5 million biodiesel production and glycerine purification refinery is one of the largest facilities of its type in Malaysia and the only one in the state of Pahang.

Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Tun Abdul Razak officially opened the plant, which uses crude palm oil as its primary feedstock and has already produced commercial quantities of high-quality biodiesel.

The plant has now been completely commissioned and is scheduled to restart commercial production next month.

In anticipation of rising global demand in the next few years, Mission has invested in a second refinery adjacent to the first one.

The new plant will have an annual production capacity of 250,000 tonnes of biodiesel, 25,000 tonnes of glycerine and 10,000 tonnes of palm fatty acid distillate.

Tan Sri Razak said the second plant is currently under construction and is scheduled to commence production in September 2008.

When both plants are operational, Mission will become the largest biodiesel producer in Malaysia.