Kemaman Bitumen Company

What Kemaman Bitumen Company does

Kemaman Bitumen Company Sdn. Bhd. (KBC) is a Malaysian private-limited company founded in April 2003 and headquartered in Shah Alam, Selangor, with its refinery located in Kemaman, Terengganu. It operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Thai-listed TIPCO Asphalt Public Company Limited (via TIPCO Asphalt Group). KBC operates what is described as the only refinery in Asia Pacific that consistently produces Naphthenic Asphalt, using a Straight-Run Process designed specifically for heavy naphthenic crude oils with low API (10-16), high sulphur, and high TAN characteristics, achieving 45-75% asphalt yield per barrel.

The company's product portfolio spans Paving Grade Asphalt (penetration, viscosity, and performance grades), Asphalt Emulsion (rapid, medium, and slow setting, plus polymer-modified variants), premium Polymer Modified Asphalt Cement (SBS, EVA, or natural latex additives), Jet Fuel Resistant Modified Asphalt (Bitumak) for airport and industrial surfaces, and non-asphalt byproducts including Naphtha, Atmospheric Gas Oil, Vacuum Gas Oil, and Fuel Oil. Through its trading subsidiary KBC Trading Sdn Bhd, it also distributes TIPCO-branded products (Premix, Joint Sealer, Joint Primer). Refining capacity stands at 30,000 bbl/day against a 100,000 bbl/day licensed ceiling, with ~350,000 mt of crude oil storage, ~120,000 mt of product storage, and an annual asphalt production capacity of approximately 1,200,000 mt across more than 20 grades.

KBC generates revenue primarily through sales of naphthenic asphalt to road construction companies and infrastructure developers, supplemented by non-asphalt petroleum byproduct sales and domestic Malaysian retail bitumen distribution. Export operations are supported by two dedicated deepwater jetties (vessels up to 150,000 DWT) and reach approximately 30 countries across Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania, the Middle East, and Africa. The company sells through direct enterprise field sales, has ISO 9001/14001/45001 certifications, and operates an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory, with technical support drawn from the TIPCO Group and COLAS Group R&D ecosystem.

Name

Kemaman Bitumen Company

Legal name

Kemaman Bitumen Company Sdn. Bhd.

Website

https://kbc.com.my

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kemaman Bitumen Company (KBC) is a Malaysia-based, wholly TIPCO Asphalt Group-owned refinery producing naphthenic paving and specialty asphalt grades for road construction companies and infrastructure developers, exporting to about 30 countries from its 30,000 bbl/day Kemaman facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Asphalt & Bitumen Refining

NAICS

Asphalt Paving, Roofing, and Saturated Materials Manufacturing (32412), Asphalt Paving Mixture and Block Manufacturing (324121), All Other Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (324199)

SIC

Asphalt Paving & Roofing Materials (2950)

akta.pro primary industry

Asphalt Mixing & Paving Materials (Hot/Warm/Cold Mix, RAP/RAS Blends) (EUALAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial & Waterproofing Bitumen Products (Roofing, Membranes, Shingles, Sealants) (EUALAKAF), Asphalt Additives & Performance Enhancers (Anti-strip, Warm-mix, Fibers, Rejuvenators) (EUALAKAH), Bitumen Logistics & Terminals (Bulk Storage, Heating, Packaging, ISO Tanks) (EUALAKAI)

Keywords

• Naphthenic asphalt production
• Bitumen refining
• Paving grade asphalt
• Polymer modified asphalt
• Asphalt emulsion manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Shah Alam

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Naphthenic Asphalt Sales: Primary revenue from production and sale of Naphthenic Asphalt grades for road construction. The refinery produces 45-75% asphalt yield per barrel and exports to over 30 countries globally.
2. Non-Asphalt Petroleum Products: Secondary revenue from by-products including Naphtha (1-5% yield), Atmospheric Gas Oil (10-40% yield), Vacuum Gas Oil, and Fuel Oil.
3. KBC Trading Sdn Bhd - Domestic Malaysian Sales: Retail sales of petroleum bitumen in Malaysian market through subsidiary established July 2015. Distribution of asphalt emulsion and premium asphalt grades through Malaysian distribution network.
4. TIPCO-branded Products: Marketing of TIPCO Premix, TIPCO Joint Sealer, and TIPCO Joint Primer through KBC Trading Sdn Bhd. Value-added products for road maintenance and repair applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Kemaman Bitumen Company (KBC) operates Southeast Asia's only refinery consistently producing Naphthenic Asphalt from heavy naphthenic crude oils using the Straight-Run Process. The company manufactures and sells paving grade asphalt, asphalt emulsion, polymer modified asphalt, jet fuel resistant modified asphalt, and non-asphalt by-products (Naphtha, AGO, VGO, Fuel Oil) to road construction companies and infrastructure developers, exporting to approximately 30 countries.

Product overview

Kemaman Bitumen Company (KBC) operates an asphalt-focused refinery producing a portfolio of bitumen products for the road construction industry. The core product lineup includes Paving Grade Asphalt (available in penetration, viscosity, and performance grades) and Asphalt Emulsion (rapid, medium, and slow setting grades including polymer modified variants). Premium offerings include Polymer Modified Asphalt Cement (PMA) with SBS/EVA/natural latex additives and Jet Fuel Resistant Modified Asphalt (Bitumak) for specialized applications. The refinery also produces Non-Asphalt Products including Naphtha, Atmospheric Gas Oil (AGO), and Vacuum Gas Oil (VGO). Through its trading subsidiary KBC Trading Sdn Bhd, the company distributes ancillary products manufactured by parent company TIPCO Asphalt including Tipco Premix (pre-mixed asphalt for patching), Tipco Joint Sealer (concrete joint sealant), and Tipco Joint Primer (surface preparation coating). KBC's asphalt products are exported to approximately 30 countries including Malaysia, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Australia, Vietnam, Philippines, Bangladesh, and regions across Africa and the Middle East.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TIPCO Premix: Pre-mixed asphalt for patching, pothole reinstatement, temporary surfacing, and repair on asphalt and concrete surfaces
• TIPCO Joint Sealer
• TIPCO Joint Primer

Products and services

• Paving Grade Asphalt Penetration-graded, viscosity-graded, and performance-graded asphalt products derived from naphthenic crude oils, suitable for general road construction including wearing course, binder course, and base course applications.
• Asphalt Emulsion Aqueous homogeneous solution of liquid bituminous material using an emulsifier, maintaining liquidity suitable for road construction, mixing with aggregate, or paving applications. Grades include Rapid Setting (CRS-1, CRS-2), Medium Setting (CMS-2, CMS-2h), and Slow Setting (CSS-1, CSS-1h).
• Polymer Modified Asphalt Emulsion Enhanced asphalt emulsion with polymer modification for improved performance. Grades include CRS-1P, CRS-2P (tack coat and surface treatment), CMS-2hP (cold mix and patching), and CSS-1hP (slurry seal and micro-surfacing).
• Polymer Modified Asphalt Cement (PMA) Improved version of asphalt cement produced by adding natural or synthetic polymer (SBS, EVA, or natural latex) with additives, providing better strength and durability, high elastic recovery, and resistance to rutting and stripping for road surfaces.
• Jet Fuel Resistant Modified Asphalt (Bitumak) Special modified asphalt for road surfaces resistant to fuel and chemical spillages, suitable for airports, gas stations, car parks, and warehouses.
• Naphtha Non-asphalt petroleum by-product from the refining process with specifications including density max 0.7250 g/mL, sulfur content max 2000 mg/kg, and naphthenes + aromatics min 41% Vol.
• Atmospheric Gas Oil (AGO) Non-asphalt refinery product with cetane index min 38.0, flash point min 60.0°C, and sulfur content max 3.80% Wt, used as diesel fuel component.
• Vacuum Gas Oil (VGO) Non-asphalt heavy petroleum by-product with density max 0.9600 g/mL, kinematic viscosity max 100.00 cSt, and sulfur content max 3.60% Wt.
• Tipco Premix Pre-mixed asphalt composed of standard gravel, specially formulated asphalt, and adhesion-enhancing additive, packaged in 20 kg double-layer plastic bags for pothole patching, temporary surfacing, and repair on asphalt and concrete surfaces.
• Tipco Joint Sealer Hot-applied elastic concrete joint sealer blend of synthetic rubber asphalt, filler, and chemical additive for preventing or correcting concrete cracks caused by spread or shrinkage, meeting TIS 479-41 standard.
• Tipco Joint Primer Primer with excellent adhesion properties for concrete surfaces prior to applying Tipco Joint Sealer, contained in 3.5 Liter metal cans, meeting TIS 321-32 standard.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~10% higher Marshall Stability compared to paraffinic asphalt
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core, operational and strategic.

• TATI UniversityminorOthers · 1 April 2020Partnership with local TATI University to produce face shields and box shields for medical frontliners during COVID-19 pandemic. KBC provided financial grant for production and distribution to public and private hospitals.
• Borneo Asphalt Sdn Bhd (BASB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2017Joint venture company incorporated in June 2017 in the State of Sarawak. Well on its way to becoming a supplier of choice for the road construction industry in southern Sarawak. KBC holds 50% stake.
• KBC Trading Sdn BhdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2015Wholly-owned subsidiary established July 2015 to manage retail sales of petroleum bitumen in Malaysian market. Handles domestic distribution of asphalt emulsion and premium asphalt grades.
• Kemaman Port Konsortium (KPK)operationalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2013Cooperation with KPK who own and operate the Liquid Chemical Berth jetty at Kemaman port for installation of Marine Loading Arms. Enables safer, faster, and more environmentally friendly cargo operations.
• COLAS Group - Campus for Science and Techniques (CST)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerR&D partnership providing access to COLAS Group's research facilities and expertise in science and techniques for asphalt and road construction technology development.
• TIPCO Asphalt R&D Centre (Thailand)strategicTechnology or IntegrationAccess to TIPCO Asphalt's R&D Centre in Thailand for continuous improvement in refining and asphalt technology, new product development, and application techniques.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nynas AB: Sweden-based specialty refiner focused on naphthenic specialty oils and bitumen, running heavy naphthenic crude operations. The closest functional comparator to KBC globally — both operate naphthenic-focused refining and produce high-performance paving bitumen grades with similar technical specifications.
• TIPCO Asphalt Public Company Limited: Listed Thai parent of KBC and a major regional asphalt and bitumen products company. Directly comparable in product portfolio (paving grades, emulsions, PMAs), regional footprint across Southeast Asia, and naphthenic asphalt specialization. KBC's exports feed into TIPCO's distribution network in many markets.
• Colas Group: French global leader in road construction and bitumen products with vertically-integrated asphalt production. Counts as both a comparable peer and an active R&D partner of KBC via the Campus for Science and Techniques — they share premium asphalt and modified binder product lines and serve overlapping end-markets.

Broad incumbents

• Shell Bitumen: Bitumen business of one of the world's largest oil majors, producing paving grade, polymer-modified, and specialty bitumens across multiple continents. Competes with KBC in many of the same international tenders from a major-brand and integrated-feedstock position.
• CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V. Global heavy building materials producer with vertically-integrated ready-mix concrete, cement, and asphalt operations across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia. While cement-focused, its asphalt and road-building products divisions directly compete in scale with KBC's customer base of road construction and infrastructure developers.
• CRH plc: Large publicly-listed building materials group with extensive asphalt production, aggregates, and paving services across North America and Europe. Operates a broader portfolio than KBC but shares end-customers and materials, and competes in asphalt supply for major infrastructure projects globally.
• Boral Limited: Australia's largest construction materials and building products company with substantial asphalt production, quarrying, and downstream road surfacing operations. Directly competes in Australia and Oceania, one of KBC's 30 export markets, with similar product categories (paving grade, modified binders).
• TotalEnergies Bitumen: Bitumen arm of the global integrated energy major, producing a wide range of paving and modified binders across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia — overlapping with several of KBC's 30 export markets including SEA, Middle East, and Africa.

Regional players

• Asphalt Industries Sdn Bhd: Malaysian regional player producing asphalt products and bitumen emulsions, primarily serving the domestic Malaysian market. Comparable in product focus and end-customers (Malaysian road contractors) to KBC Trading Sdn Bhd's domestic operations.
• Roads and Maritime Services / Downer EDI (asphalt): Australian integrated infrastructure services provider producing asphalt products and operating bitumen storage terminals serving Australia and New Zealand. Competes head-to-head with KBC for supply into ANZ road construction contracts — a direct regional overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KemamanBitumenCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kemaman-bitumen-company

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kemaman Bitumen Company