United Kingdom-based lubricant additive manufacturer Infineum signed a supply agreement with Chinese additive component producer Rianlon for the Asia-Pacific region. The agreement follows Rianlon’s recent groundbreaking of a new additive component development and manufacturing facility in Malaysia.
Global trade tensions, logistics disruptions and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty affecting global chemical supply chains are pressing producers to localize manufacturing.
Under the agreement, Rianlon will supply selected lubricant additive components for Infineum’s formulations, integrating regional manufacturing capacity into Infineum’s global supply chain.
Infineum said the agreement is intended to improve regional self-sufficiency, reduce logistics complexity, and enhance cost competitiveness for customers in China and the wider Asia-Pacific market. Financial terms and supply volumes were not disclosed.
Rianlon held a groundbreaking ceremony on Jan. 19 for a new research and development and manufacturing base in Johor, Malaysia. The facility is to be used for lubricant additive component manufacturing, application development, testing and technical services for customers in Malaysia and across the Asia-Pacific region.
According to Rianlon, the site should improve logistics efficiency and supply responsiveness for Southeast Asian customers.
Johor is a growing hub for specialty chemical investment, supported by established industrial infrastructure, port access and proximity to Singapore, a major regional center for lubricant blending, trading and distribution.
Rianlon’s chairman and president Li Haiping said the Malaysian project is part of the company’s long-term international expansion aims.
In 2021, Rianlon acquired Kangtai Chemical, expanding its portfolio of lubricant additive components and strengthening its position in China’s domestic additives market, particularly in antioxidant and functional additive products.