Staff from Dakota Gasification Company (Dakota Gas) recently attended the Argus DEF Forum North America, one of the industry’s premier gatherings for the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) market. This annual event brings together producers, distributors, original equipment manufacturers (OEM), and regulators to share updates on regulations, technology, and market trends shaping the DEF and urea industries.
Phillip Cade, diesel exhaust fluid sales manager at Dakota Gas, and Zach Jacobson, director of Dakota Gas sales and marketing, attended the event on Oct. 9 and 10 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
“For several years, Argus has been the industry-leading event for the DEF market,” Cade said. “Their goal is to bring together industry stakeholders to discuss regulatory agendas, technology updates, overall market trends and insights, and networking opportunities.”
Cade explained that while the event provides valuable market information, the greatest benefit for Dakota Gas comes from customer interaction. “We take value in having the ability to get face to face with a broad range of customers all in one place,” he said. “The timing of this event is also ideal, as the DEF industry is heavily contracted during this time. This event is basically the kickoff of our contract season and starts negotiations for the following year.”
The main topics at this year’s forum included a review of 2025 DEF and urea demand, new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 2027 emission requirements, supply chain challenges, emerging markets in Mexico and Latin America, and the comparison of domestic supply versus imports.
Cade noted that the EPA 2027 regulations are expected to have a long-term impact. “The 2027 EPA regulations are still on pace to impact the DEF market with new engines built in 2027 having a higher dosing rate of DEF, which will equate to more DEF demand over the next decade,” he said.
Another discussion at this year’s forum centered on product performance in colder conditions. “DEF can gel up as it gets cold, and there are talks of using surfactants—substances that lower surface tension to allow liquids to spread or mix—to prevent this, and of whether it will conform to the very strict international DEF quality parameters,” Cade said. “That’s still an ongoing discussion.”
Overall, the conference aligns closely with Dakota Gas’s priorities. “Everything that’s going on at this event is applicable to Dakota Gas in regard to DEF and some for urea markets,” Cade said. “Topics of global urea and DEF demand, as well as the forward demand curve, are relevant to our strategic planning and expansion growth at the plant.”
