Cheaper, uncertified AdBlue products pose an increasing risk to the industry, and could cost owners and operators significantly in the long run.
AdBlue manufacturer CrossChem Australia recognises the temptation of these illegitimate products but has raised concerns over what it could mean for the future of AdBlue. “Low grade AdBlue does affect your truck. When the ‘back-yard’ AdBlue causes issues and a truck is in the workshop, any saving [operators] might have made will be lost many times over by the cost of repairs and lost productivity,” said director Tom Macens.
NSW-based fleet BagTrans is also cautioning against the cheaper alternative, and urging fellow operators to stay vigilant and always check for approval from the international authority, Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA).
“VDA approval is critically important to the reliability and cost of running our fleet which is why we only use VDA approved AdBlue,” said BagTrans fleet manager Joachim Egger.
“When AdBlue is not VDA approved, it has not complied with strict European rules on how it is manufactured. There is no way of knowing how it was blended or what is in it.”