MECA releases diesel retrofit sales figures for 2008

23 November 2009 | updated 24 November 2009

The Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association (MECA) released the results of its annual survey summarizing the total number of diesel retrofit devices sold in the United States by MECA member companies in 2008. According to the results, the total number of diesel retrofit devices—for both on-road and off-road diesel engines—sold in the USA, including California, by MECA member companies in 2008 was 31,283.

Of this total, approximately 39% were diesel oxidation catalysts and 32% were diesel particulate filters (includes both passively and actively regenerated filters). This total also includes 6,914 retrofit closed-crankcase filters. The remaining retrofit devices, about 6%, were mostly flow-through filters (FTF). In California, 5,606 diesel retrofit devices were sold, of which 96% were diesel particulate filters.

Worldwide, compared to the results of MECA’s 2007 survey, the overall 2008 sales figures remained about the same: 43,118 diesel retrofit devices were sold by MECA member companies worldwide in 2008 vs. 44,625 in 2007.

MECA expects sales of diesel retrofit devices to increase over the coming years as more funding becomes available at both the federal and local level to reduce emissions from in-use diesel vehicles. In particular, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received $300 million in DERA (Diesel Emissions Reduction Act) economic stimulus funding from Congress in March 2009 to fund clean diesel projects through the agency’s National Clean Diesel Campaign (NCDC). Last month, EPA announced its Request for Proposals (RFP) for 2010 DERA funding of clean diesel projects under the NCDC. In California, the Air Resources Board's (ARB) in-use on- and off-road diesel vehicle regulations are expected to generate significant additional demand for diesel retrofit devices, primarily diesel particulate filters, over the next few years.

Source: MECA