LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The world's largest distributor of chemicals has announced it will supply urea to the North American truck and bus industries in time to meet the 2010 federal emissions standards.

Brenntag, which calls itself the largest distributor of automotive-grade urea in the world, said it will be ready to meet demands in two years.

Some of the manufacturers that supply engines to the bus and truck industries will require that urea be used in conjunction with their selective catalytic reduction systems, starting in 2010.

Both Volvo Group, which supplies engines for Prevost, and Daimler, which supplies engines to Setra, have announced they will use selective catalytic reduction to comply with the next round of EPA emissions requirements.

Cummins also will use selective catalytic reduction for its mid-range engines.

In response, Brenntag has launched what it calls "Urea 2010," which the company says will assure there are adequate supplies of urea for OEMs and fleet operators throughout the U.S. and Canada.

"Brenntag understands the complexity of a start-up (for urea) and we are applying our experience and knowledge to successfully launch a customer-friendly package to manufacturers and fleet operators" of (selective catalytic reduction) vehicles, said Chet Murphy, vice president of market development at Brenntag.

"While North American operations have different challenges than in Europe, we don't see any of these challenges as show-stoppers," Murphy added.

The company said it will focus on the "fast and reliable delivery" of urea, offering partial- and full-tank deliveries for fleets and suppliers.

Accuride has entered into a joint venture with Benecor to focus on establishing a urea distribution and dispensing infrastructure through truck stops and other outlets.

"We are planning to build an infrastructure which will provide a cost-effective solution to ensure ease of compliance for the industry," said Steve Holt, Accuride's senior vice president of strategy, growth and technology.

"We recognize the sheer scope of effort required to meet the needs of this market rollout, and joining with Accuride will afford us the opportunity to expedite the manufacturing and installation of the storage and dispensing units at truck stops, diesel fueling stations and fleets throughout North America," noted Brendan Foster, president of Benecor.

For more information, go to www.brenntagnorthamerica.com.