Last year North American drivers consumed over 40 million one-time-use 2.5-gallon plastic jugs containing diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). This year, the North American DEF industry will sell an excess of 1.3 billion gallons, which continues to grow yearly. Over 130 million gallons are sold in 2.5-gallon plastic jugs. Where did all these plastic jugs come from, and where do they all go?

In 2009, the EPA began regulating diesel exhaust to curb harmful emissions, starting with passenger- size diesel vehicles. Since 2010, medium-duty and on-highway vehicle emissions have become regulated. Manufacturers responded with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology which utilizes DEF.

DEF is not readily available at fueling sites today despite consumer demand. There are approximately 145,000 retail fueling sites, with roughly 75,000 offering diesel and only 6,000 offering DEF. Retail DEF is mainly found at on-highway truck stops, while 2.5-gallon plastic jugs or big retailers like Walmart, Home Depot, and Tractor Supply. Over 40 million plastic jugs are consumed yearly, which is expected to double over the next 5 to 7 years. These jugs are often thrown in retail trash cans, left in parking lots at retail centers, disposed of in landfills, or, at best, recycled.

Benecor, North America’s leading manufacturer of DEF dispensing systems, and 360Fuel, the global leader in fueling site and c-store technology, have created a future-proof DEF dispensing platform. This DEF platform is compact and designed to fit on or off the island in tight retail locations in warm or cold climates. DEF is dispensed from the DEF-1 dispensing unit, eliminating the inconvenience and waste of jugs. Simple access to power allows for unit installation within an hour.

Paired with 360Fuel’s DEF-1 future-proof dispensing platform, they are maximizing the potential of retailers to tap into a high-demand industry with technology to drive their sales. DEF-1 uses artificial intelligence (AI) and customer selection to tailor the filling experience to each consumer’s preferences. It customizes and adapts product merchandising to customer favorites during filling, maximizing marketing and driving sales to retailer establishments. Additional technological offerings:

Additional technological offerings:

  • Fastest transaction speed on the market
  • Language Preference: DEF-1 speaks over 15 world languages
  • Hi-Speed Wireless Ethernet
  • Customer Rewards
  • Reporting & Remote Management with DEF Ordering Capabilities
  • EMV Secure Payment + NFC with Video Security
  • 22” Ballistic Touchscreen Interface with on-screen advertising

“The 360Fuel partnership allows two very progressive organizations to get to market with a new product that people don’t have,” states Brendan Foster, CEO of Benecor. “We are putting a retail product into the market that is currently being missed: speed and future-proof, eliminating the need to interface with a traditional point-of-sale system. We bring the complete package the rest of the marketplace is not offering. And we are bringing this to both traditional and non-traditional retail applications.”

“360Fuel is pumped to partner with Benecor to launch the industry’s most advanced environmentally conscious DEF dispensing platform with quick plug-and-play installation,” states Werlien Prosperie III, CEO of 360Fuel. “The DEF-1 platform enables any size retailer with fully connected infrastructure including EMV payment, enhanced user experience, and ultimate remote operability. Together, we are meeting evolved market needs, while eliminating environmental concerns and excessive waste of millions of plastic jugs.”

The DEF-1 platform is available from both Benecor and 360Fuel in 400, 750, 1K, and 1.5K tank configurations with single to multiple fueling positions.