Report: Inaugural ALIA/F&L Asia Lubricant Exhibition a Resounding Success
The ALIA/F&L Asia Lubricants Exhibition, held from September 9-11 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, attracted over 2,000 lubricant industry professionals and end users from 35 countries. This first-of-its-kind event in Southeast Asia provided a dynamic platform for exploring innovations and challenges in the lubricants market and featured exhibitors from throughout the entire lubricants value chain.
The three-day event featured a diverse range of companies leveraging this prime platform to showcase their innovations and strengthen their presence in the Asian market. Exhibitors reported strong engagement with the audience throughout the event.
A training course on the “Fundamentals of Lubrication” was held alongside the exhibition on September 9 and 10, imparting essential knowledge on lubrication practices and the critical importance of proper lubrication. The course was attended by more than 40 participants.
On the evening of September 9, ALIA held its 7th Anniversary and Exhibitor Appreciation Dinner at the Four Seasons Kuala Lumpur, with a gathering of over 100 guests, marking a milestone in the growth of the industry organisation.
The event featured presentations from industry experts and key exhibitors, promoting knowledge sharing and showcasing key developments in the lubricants sector.
In a keynote address, Ahmed Adly Alias, vice president of refining, marketing and trading at PETRONAS, highlighted Asia’s critical role in driving global lubricant demand growth. While the demand for automotive lubricants may slow due to vehicle electrification, Alias emphasized that the value pool for lubricants remains attractive, particularly with the rising demand for higher-quality, longer-lasting products.
Ravi Tallamraju, chief technology officer of PETRONAS Lubricants International, called for an urgent upgrade in lubricant standards across Asia, noting a significant gap in lubricant quality in many parts of Asia, particularly in Southeast Asia. A large portion of the market still relies on outdated, high-viscosity lubricants such as SAE 20W-50, which are incompatible with modern engines.
Dave Duncan, global product line director at Richful, also expressed frustration over the widespread use of outdated oil technologies, which not only hinder engine performance but also have negative environmental impacts. Duncan called for better end-user education to ensure that the right lubricants are used for the right applications.
A business roundtable explored the balance between regulatory compliance and innovation, particularly in the context of transitioning to a circular economy. Panellists stressed the importance of small, innovative actions to drive change. Nordin Abdullah emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in public perceptions of waste, reframing to demonstrate the potential value rather than something to be discarded.
Demand for innovative fluids is expected to rise. Mikael Kruse, product manager for industrial grease at Axel Christiernsson International AB outlined the rapid adoption of AI and detailed exciting new opportunities for improving grease lubrication performance and improving earnings.
Eugene Chen, product and business development manager at Patech Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd., highlighted several advantages of low-viscosity esters over traditional hydrocarbon-based fluids in electric vehicle (EV) transmission fluids.
Desmond Chan, regional head of Industrial (Inland) Lubricants at TotalEnergies underlined the critical role of additives in enhancing lubricant performance, with a particular focus on the challenge of balancing Total Base Number (TBN) and sulfated ash levels in natural gas engine oils.
Several exhibitors highlighted bold expansion plans during the event. Juan Tang, founder and CEO of Jiangsu Aorun Advanced Materials (Aorun) outlined a five-year plan, which includes establishing a new R&D centre in Nanjing and fully commercialising new additive components and licensable additive packages. Jackson Lim, general manager, Xinxiang Richful Lube Additive Co. Ltd, announced plans to almost double production capacity to 760,000 MT by 2026. Vincent Mao, global lubricant additive sales director at Rianlon Corporation, discussed the completion of Phase II of Kangtai’s expansion, which added 50,000 tons per year of production capacity for phenates, salicylates (sulfonates), and ZDDP. He signposted a third expansion phase that will focus on unique components suitable for the industrial sector.
Planning for the next ALIA/F&L Asia Lubricant Exhibition is already underway following the resounding success of the event and strong industry support.
