KENAF is fast becoming Malaysia’s industrial crop alongside palm oil and rubber. Planting of kenaf has been promoted by the government as a replacement crop for local tobacco farmers in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
The initiative was to counter the possibility of negative impact on the price lowering of locally grown tobacco due to a reduction in import duties on tobacco with the commencement of Asean Free Trade Area (Afta).
The production cost of local tobacco has almost doubled compared to those produced in Indonesia and Thailand. As such, the National Tobacco Board is encouraging farmers to exercise integrated farming of tobacco with kenaf in the event that the former is no longer a viable crop.
Kenaf is one of the six core strategic areas for agriculture development by the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry, and is being planted in Pahang, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak, Johor and Malacca.
The National Commodities Policy has stipulated the need to enhance the development of kenaf downstream industry and promote the utilisation of kenaf in relevant product development and manufacturing.
Manufacturing of kenaf composite automotive parts can be the desired downstream activities.
Fibre produced from the stem of kenaf hold great potential in various automotive parts and components composite applications. The advent of energy-efficient vehicles (EEVs) drives more automakers to look for ways of reducing their vehicle weight and kenaf composites offer a viable solution.
Currently, kenaf reinforced composites are used in automotive trim components such as door panels, seatbacks, headliners and package trays.
It is claimed that thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) attains some 55 per cent increase in tensile strength with the addition of 20 per cent kenaf fibre by volume in its matrix as compared to the unreinforced TPNR.
An increase of 81 per cent in tensile strength is also achievable in polypropylene and ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (EPDM) composite reinforced with 20 per cent kenaf fibre. Kenaf-reinforced composites have also shown some 20 per cent weight reduction compared to conventional parts.
The significant advantage offered by kenaf fibre is its low cost, compared to synthetic glass and carbon fibres. It is biodegradable. Hence, parts made from kenaf-reinforced composite are easily disposed.
Toyota Boshoku Corporation has been using kenaf for automotive interiors since the mid-1990s. Kenaf door trim base material was first adopted by Toyota, and currently five components using kenaf are in 27 of its high-end vehicle models.
To ensure sustainable supply of kenaf with stabilised quality and which meets production volume and cost, the company in 2008 signed a seed development agreement with the Indonesian Tobacco and Fiber Crops Research Institute, the world’s leading research institute with a 50-year experience in kenaf seed improvement.
The National Automotive Policy drive for local EEV manufacturing will open up larger market opportunities for the kenaf industry. Kenaf composite applications in EEV components are expected to increase, especially with the advent of plug-in hybrids and full electric vehicles in the near future.
In this respect, the Malaysia Automotive Institute can be the focal point for automotive industry players and kenaf-related stakeholders to come together to formulate action plans to enhance kenaf utilisation in the local automotive scene.