With about 80 per cent of Australia's AdBlue supply coming from a soon to be shuttered plant, NatRoad wants answers on our AdBlue future.
The National Road Transport Association is calling on the Federal Government to explain what it will do to maintain the national supply of AdBlue once the country’s sole manufacturer ceases production later this year.
Incitec Pivot has told its investors that it still plans to shut its Gibson Island urea processing plant, near Brisbane, before the end of 2022.
It delayed the closure after receiving a $29.4 million grant from the Morrison Government in December last year.
Gibson Island currently meets about 80 per cent of national AdBlue needs, with the balance coming from imports.
A shortage of AdBlue threatened to bring road freight to a standstill late last year after China cut off supply to prop up its domestic market.
NatRoad CEO Warren Clark said the Government established an AdBlue Taskforce of industry leaders in the same month to look at other local manufacturing options and alternative international sources of AdBlue.
“It’s time for the Government to tell us what’s happening and for the taskforce to end its radio silence,” Clark says.
“NatRoad was a lone voice when the AdBlue shortage began and we’ll keep pushing for a solution to the problem.
“The Department of Industry Science Energy & Resources had to bring in consultants to tell it how much AdBlue was in the supply chain and paid $12,000 a day for the privilege.
“Now we hear that the Department of Industry is paying Boston Consulting Group $1.6m to tell it how to solve the problem.”