Lubricant supplier FUCHS Lubricants South Africa introduced TITAN AdBlue – an ancillary product that helps reduce diesel exhaust emissions – for use in buses, trucks and agricultural vehicles.

Products similar to TITAN AdBlue will soon become a requirement for businesses, as the global energy transition and climate change are increasingly necessitating that organisations reduce their carbon footprint, notes FUCHS local segment lead in commercial vehicles Andy Weddell. 

TITAN AdBlue “treats” diesel exhaust emissions and, ultimately, minimises the harmful emissions emitted by modern diesel engines.

“It reacts with the nitrogen oxide produced by a diesel engine, breaking it down into harmless water vapour and nitrogen,” explains Weddell.

Therefore, one of the advantages to using the product in commercial, agricultural and passenger vehicles, is its being “environmentally conscious”, which enables businesses and other industry players to demonstrate their willingness and commitment to “going green”, he adds.

Moreover, businesses that operate large fleets, logistics trucks and buses, as well as agricultural industry players that use diesel-powered engines, can use TITAN AdBlue to save between 2% and 3% in fuel consumption.

“In South Africa, at this stage, this product has been very successful in the bus rapid transport industry. AdBlue is also extensively used by major truck original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs). This product is predominantly aimed at the diesel truck and bus industry, but is also spilling over into the agricultural sector.”

Weddell says more OEMs and customers from various industries are beginning to request TITAN AdBlue, despite the use of such a product being as yet unenforced or stipulated by environmental legislation.

While it does not pose any “major threats” to modern diesel engines, he notes that the TITAN AdBlue product, as with most lubricants, is susceptible to cross contamination; to avoid this, FUCHS ensures that all products are packaged in new containers before being supplied to customers.

Further, TITAN refers to FUCHS’ range of products for commercial and passenger vehicles, while AdBlue refers to the product’s registered trademark, which is indicative of the product being licensed by the Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA) – the German Association of the Automotive Industry.

VDA-approved products are high quality and, unlike inferior generics that can result in “long-term engine damage”, will improve overall equipment life. For this reason, Weddell insists that it is of utmost importance that various industry players use application-appropriate VDA-approved products.

“FUCHS has launched this product in our range to stay ahead of the curve . . . AdBlue, or similar products, will become mandatory in the future, and it is important to position ourselves accordingly. This way we can offer a full basket of products to our customers,” Weddell enthuses.