- Business
- PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG) is Malaysia's leading integrated chemicals producer and one of the largest in Southeast Asia, operating as the chemicals arm of PETRONAS with a diversified portfolio of petrochemicals and specialty chemicals. The company manufactures, markets, and sells olefins such as ethylene and propylene; polymers including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), and polypropylene; fertilizers encompassing ammonia, urea, nitrogen, phosphate, and compound varieties; methanol; aromatics like benzene and paraxylene; glycols and derivatives; MTBE; and specialty products such as advanced chemicals, silicones, lube oil additives, animal nutrition solutions, and emulsifiers like the Neptem range for low-VOC waterborne coatings. PCG operates through four main segments--Olefins and Derivatives, Fertilizers and Methanol, Specialties, and Others--with 21 manufacturing sites and 54 production plants across Malaysia, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America, achieving a combined capacity of 16.8 million metric tonnes per annum; it serves industries including agriculture, automotive, construction, packaging, personal care, and pharmaceuticals.
Founded in 1998 and headquartered at Tower 1, Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, PCG is a subsidiary of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS). The company maintains joint ventures and strategic partnerships, such as with BASF PETRONAS Chemicals for 2-ethylhexanoic acid production and expansions, and holds ownership in entities like Pengerang Petrochemical Company and Perstorp, its wholly-owned Swedish specialty chemicals subsidiary acquired in 2022.
In recent developments, PCG launched 15 new products in 2025, including the Neptem emulsifiers to support sustainable coatings, building on 36 launches in 2024 as part of its strategy to grow the Specialties segment beyond 30% of revenue over the next decade. The company completed a planned turnaround at its Sipitang fertilizer plant in 3Q 2025, enhancing operational efficiency amid challenging markets, and paused the Creditors Reliability Test at Pengerang Integrated Complex to optimize margins. PCG continues to focus on innovation, cost discipline, and portfolio diversification through specialties and derivatives.