Mack Trucks Inc. on Thursday, June 18, named Terra Environmental Technologies Inc., a Terra Industries Inc. company, as its preferred supplier of diesel exhaust fluid.
DEF – which TET supplies under the brand name TerraCair Ultrapure DEF (TerraCair DEF) – is a liquid solution used in selective catalytic reduction, which Mack will use to achieve the near-zero levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions called for in the federal diesel engine regulations taking effect in January 2010. The 2010 regulations, developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, require NOx emissions to be reduced more than 80 percent from the standard that took effect in January 2007.
“Mack has delivered improved fuel economy with our new MP engine series, and SCR gives us the opportunity to improve fuel economy even further,” says Dennis Slagle, president and chief executive officer of Mack, based in Lehigh Valley, Pa. “We know that SCR works, and now with TET onboard, we’re more certain than ever that DEF will be available when and where our customers need it.”
Slagle says Terra is a leading North American producer of DEF, with the demonstrated ability to establish a comprehensive supply chain. “The business case for such an infrastructure is certainly there, with nearly all heavy- and medium-duty trucks, and more and more light trucks and passenger cars, utilizing SCR,” he says.
The agreement between the two companies calls for TET to supply all new Mack trucks with an initial fill of TerraCair DEF at the time of assembly and, through its distribution partners, provide Mack dealers with the product in portable 1- and 2.5-gallon containers.
“We’re delighted that Mack has chosen TET as its preferred supplier,” says Michael L. Bennett, Terra’s president and CEO. “The value we bring to this relationship is our experience with manufacturing and distributing urea solution for NOx reduction in other industries and the dedicated team that we’ve put together to serve emissions control markets. We are also deeply involved in developing additional channels for TerraCair DEF distribution, including mini-bulk containers and full tankloads to serve truckstops and fleet fueling facilities.”
TET President Barry Lonsdale says his company understands the equipment required to dispense DEF – tanks, supply lines and pumps – and has relationships with the suppliers of that equipment, which are critical in establishing a high-volume distribution system. “We’re also developing field service and employee training to support this network,” Lonsdale says.
