AdBlue Makes Forecourt Debut

As the AdBlue infrastructure expands to service the growing number of SCR commercial vehicles on the road in Europe, analysts' predictions on patterns of AdBlue provision appear relatively accurate, with some surprises.

There are now 187 sites in Europe where AdBlue is available from tanks and pumps, and 1160 outlets selling the solution in canisters (see table opposite). Initially, availability is being assured through agreements forged between AdBlue suppliers and the OEMs. Dedicated supply is also being contracted with private fleet owners who have invested early in SCR trucks to benefit from the German MAUT road tax incentives.

The haulage industry is also served by AdBlue pumps at truck stops across Europe. Initially several of these these have been opened at 'strategic' locations, e.g., ports and border crossings.

Eventually, AdBlue refilling points will be a common site at public forecourts

Eventually, AdBlue refilling points will be a common site at public forecourts on the road, but this stage of development is heavily dependent on the big oil companies who own the retail sites, who have been slow to reveal their strategies for investment in AdBlue.

The variety of storage and delivery options AdBlue distributors are offering to retailers has enabled the oil companies to vary their sales strategy, depending on their view of this developing market. Early activity certainly focuses in Northern Europe where demand will be greatest.

Among the oil companies, Austria's OMV appears to be leading the way in supplying to the public and has focused its attentions on central as well as western Europe. Taking AdBlue from its subsidiary producer AMI, OMV already has 20 forecourt pumps (three in Austria, four in Germany) and over 100 sites selling canisters. The company has committed to opening more than 67 service station sites with pumps by 2007.

Shell has over 150 AdBlue selling points with canisters, and is expanding this number, but has only three pilot filling points with pumps in Austria and Germany.

The Netherlands is also a well-supplied market. BP and Texaco have deals with Yara and Dureal respectively. Texaco will launch 20 to 25 public AdBlue units in the Netherlands by 2006, supplied by Dureal. BP in the Netherlands will offer Air1 AdBlue at truck stops, but public retail strategy for BP is as yet unclear.

France's Total will supply AdBlue in bulk and cans at 400 retail outlets and AS24 truck stations in Europe within three years. Q8 will have canisters at some locations, and pumps at key fuelling points, e.g. border crossings, by the end of the year. Eni/AGIP also has a site in Italy and plans to launch several more. Repsol, the Spanish oil company, does not sell AdBlue currently and has not announced its strategy.