Diesel Retrofit Sales Drop for Fourth Consecutive Year

Sales of all diesel retrofit devices in the United States declined in 2012 for the fourth consecutive year, according to the Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association.

MECA said that its member companies sold 16,262 diesel retrofit devices verified by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and/or the California Air Resources Board. That compares with 20,177 retrofit devices sold in 2011, 24,640 sold in 2010 and 29,180 sold in 2009.

MECA said that the declining sales were “most likely due to the decrease in federal Diesel Emissions Reduction Act funding for clean diesel projects” and a higher portion of funds total spent on projects that use engine repowers or vehicle replacements rather than retrofits.

Of the diesel retrofit devices sold in 2012, 68% were diesel particulate filters, or DPFs, including both passively regenerated and actively regenerated filters; 28% were diesel oxidation catalysts, MECA said.

The number of DPFs sold in the United States fell to 11,000 in 2012 from 11,506 in 2011.