14/11/05 KUALA LUMPUR (Dow Jones)--Malaysia's Golden Hope Plantations (1953.KU) Monday said it is investing another $47.5 million in 50%-owned Cognis Oleochemicals (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. to help the joint venture expand overseas

Golden Hope will finance the investment via internal funds, the palm oil and oleochemicals producer said in a filing with the stock exchange Monday. Earlier, Golden Hope, which mainly produces crude palm oil, invested MYR37.4 million in Cognis Oleochemicals (Malaysia).

Cognis Oleochemicals (Malaysia) is a joint venture between and Cognis B.V., which is a unit of Netherlands-based Cognis Deustchland GmBH & Co., and Golden Hope, which is Malaysia's No.2 plantation firm in market capitalization terms after IOI Corp. (1961.KU).

The joint venture makes, markets and sells fatty acids, glycerine, oilfield chemicals, fatty alcohols and methylester in Malaysia.

As part of its expansion, Cognis Oleochemicals (Malaysia) will buy Cognis B.V.'s Cognis Oleochemicals UK Ltd. unit. In turn, Cognis Oleochemicals UK will buy six companies in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Brazil, the U.K. and Japan.

Following these acquisitions, Cognis Oleochemicals (Malaysia) "is expected to be the largest producer of oleochemicals in Malaysia and the second-largest fatty acid producer in the world," Golden Hope said.