It wasn’t that long ago that a fleet manager didn’t have to worry about something called diesel exhaust fluids(DEF). Of course with the ever-changing world of fleet management it’s now impossible for anyone in the trucking business who owns a new vehicle impossible to ignore. (Good Blog on DEF).
Since 33% of DEF is from Urea, a fleet manager needs to understand the farm industry too. Urea is used mostly in nitrogen-release fertilizers. Over 90% of these fertilizers use Urea. When the spring planting season comes, Urea usually tends to spike because of supply and demand. Last year, due to an early planting season Urea was in short supply.
Last year DEF prices increased 32 cents per gallon from February to May. This year, the demand for Urea will be increasing, due to an increased number of trucks on the road requiring DEF. Prices are already moving up about 3-5 cents a gallon. It’s not expected, but we could see DEF prices rise even higher. A solid DEF Management plan can help reduce and control your costs and distribution.
Additionally, when buying diesel exhaust fluid, don’t go for the cheapest price. People believe all diesel fuel is the same and at one time, it was. Now, with all of the different biodiesel fuels on the market, you need to be careful of not only the diesel fuel prices but what is making up your diesel fuel.
The same holds true for DEF. Quality is important and poor quality will cause your Selective Catalytic Reduction ( SCR ) damage. In the grand scheme of fleet management is it really worth the risk? Go with a leader in DEF, like Brenntag, TerraCair or feel free to reach out to us at 267-482-6159 to help you with your DEF Management.
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