PUTRAJAYA, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- The biennial International Palm OilCongress (PIPOC) is a perfect place to explore business opportunities,especially for those involved in the palm oil sector, said a participantof PIPOC 2003 from Indonesia.

The business manager for Oleochemicals Division of PT. Rekayasa Industri,Tutik Herlina Mahendratto, said that PIPOC was an important congress forthe company to attend as this was the time when various participants fromdifferent fields of the industry were brought under one roof.

More than 72 industry players have booked their space at the ongoingexhibition held in conjunction with the PIPOC 2003 at the Marriott Hotelhere.

"There are palm oil growers, processors, exporters as well asmanufacturers, there are so many of them...it's the perfect place toexplore business opportunities," she told Bernama on Tuesday.

She said that her company, which was previously involved with only oil andgas and petrochemical, ventured into the palm oil industry during theAsian financial crisis to balance the company's portfolio.

PT. Rekayasa Industri is an engineering and construction based company,which builds crude palm oil and oleochemical mills, said Mahendratto.

"Palm oil is a very stable industry. So we ventured into it," she said,adding that this was her fourth PIPOC, since its inception in 1984.

Mahendratto, the sole representative for PT.Rekayasa Industri aims tosecure some good projects for the company during the event.

Meanwhile, for Sawipac Sdn Bhd's director Er Cheow Chin, also in search ofbusiness opportunities here, the 2003 PIPOC is his first.

Sawipac is a Malaysian based company offering various palm oil millingtechnologies, such as air separator system, empty bunch press system andkernel loss and fibre control systems.

"All exhibitors are here to look for business opportunities. But at thesame time, we also want to have some contacts and promote the company'stechnology," he said when met at his company's booth.

Cheow said PIPOC was the most suitable congress for the company to promoteits technology, particularly as there was a large number of millers, forwhom their technology would appeal, participating in the event.

He said the congress also offered the company an opportunity to exploreand know about other technologies in the industry as there were exhibitorsfrom overseas as well.

Cheow said that he planned to come back for the next PIPOC and benefitfrom the congress, organised by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).

--BERNAMA