Nitrogen giant Yara International ASA and major fuel distributor Mansfield Oil Co. of Gainesville, Ga., are combining forces to provide North American fleets with a diesel engine exhaust solution (DEF) that meets rigid 2010 Clean Air Act standards. Beginning with 2010 diesel models, DEF reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by some 90 percent while boosting mileage by 5 percent.
“Since 1957, Mansfield’s network of hundreds of supply and distribution points in local markets nationwide has been relied on by leading fleets like Republic/Allied Waste and UPS. Yara’s expertise in reducing harmful exhaust chemicals to practically zero is a fact proven out by their strong market position in Europe,” says Michael Mansfield Sr. “We’re proud to bring our customers a proven solution to 2010 emissions compliance through this partnership of expertise and experience.”
Yara has been a global pioneer in NOx abatement and today claims a 40 percent share of the DEF market in Europe, which began requiring such emission controls some four years ago. It is also a large supplier in Australia. Yara is the world’s largest diesel exhaust fluid producer, commercialized under the Air1 brand. Yara’s Sluiskil plant in the Netherlands is the single biggest DEF production site in the world.
“Starting today, we offer the most developed DEF supply platform in the U.S. ?Çô combining domestic production with a strong back-up global supply for serving the 50 billion gallons of diesel consumed commercially every year in this country. Air1’s unrivaled expertise in rolling out this new market, combined with Mansfield’s distribution network, will help operators across the country move with full confidence into DEF usage,” says Chad Dombroski, director, Yara North America.
“We are excited to add Air1 DEF, a new product with a mandated market, to our partnership, so we can develop our local market while expanding our service to national accounts,” stated Glenn Pumpelly, president of Pumpelly Oil.
Pumpelly Oil, a distributor that has worked with Mansfield for several years as a member of their DeliveryOne network, is pleased with the opportunity to offer DEF.
Mansfield’s DeliveryOne network is already poised to supply Air1 in every major local market, according to Doug Haugh, Mansfield executive vice president. “Calls will first come into our national service center in Denver, Colo., which is staffed with friendly, knowledgeable fleet experts that can answer questions on the emissions and performance issues facing fleet owners today.” The Denver center refers callers to their local service center.
Mansfield delivers fuel services across 49 states from over 900 supply points. The company annually delivers 2 billion gallons of fuel to corporations, fleets, retailers, convenience stores, and government agencies.
In addition to Mansfield, which is known for its distribution to major fleets, Yara has also been pursuing other distributors, such as Pilot Travel Centers of Knoxville, Tenn. Pilot just began supplying Yara Air 1 in Oregon and North Carolina, with plans to supply DEF at over 100 stations by the end of first quarter 2010 (GM Sept. 21, p. 10). Pilot, the nation’s largest retail operator of travel centers for the professional driver and traveling motorist, in 41 states with over 300 retail interstate properties, is in the process of merging with Flying J and will be making arrangements for installations at those locations.
Both Yara and Terra Industries Inc. appear poised to have significant shares of the North American DEF market (GM Sept. 21, p. 1). Like Terra, Yara also serves the stationary SCR market, which includes nitrogen-based emission abatement products for utilities.
Mansfield and Yara have set up a toll-free help line for fleet operators, owners, and managers: 877-810-4DEF (333).