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Wakefield opens Canada’s first DEF solutionizing facility for H2Blu
September 30, 2011
TORONTO -- Wakefield Canada today opened its H2Blu diesel exhaust
fluid (DEF) solutionizing facility in Toronto. Today’s ribbon cutting ceremony took place well
ahead of the original business timetable. The plan called for building a facility eventually when
H2Blu volume warranted the step; the strength of sales in the first six months have already
justified the investment.
Wakefield Canada has been marketing its own brand of DEF, H2Blu, for less than half a year and
its market success has already accelerated the company’s plans for Canadian production. Bob
MacDonald, President of Wakefield Canada, today cut the ribbon officially opening the high tech
facility that will take prilled urea, the raw ingredient in DEF, and process it into ready-to-use H2Blu
DEF. The solutionizing facility is housed within Wakefield’s existing lubricant blending plant in
Toronto’s Long Branch area. The facility is understood to be the first of its kind in this country.
Wakefield sources prill through CDI (Cervantes-Delgado Inc), a strategic partner of PotashCorp.
By manufacturing and packaging H2Blu in its own facility, Wakefield is able to absolutely control
the product’s purity. Purity is critical to the operation of today’s SCR (Selective Catalytic
Reduction) clean diesel vehicles; impurities can cause engines to operate improperly, slow down
(derate) or even stop.
In addition to the manufacturing equipment, Wakefield has also increased its distribution fleet
adding the specialized trucks required for distribution of sensitive DEF. MacDonald noted that the
investment in the new facility and trucks is significant for the company but helps strengthen
Wakefield’s commitment to manufacturing and distributing vital products to the automotive and
heavy-duty sectors. The company’s strong relationships within the HD and automotive industry,
built on the strength of its Castrol lubricants representation, will create synergies that MacDonald
anticipates will propel the company into a leadership position in the DEF segment.
Macdonald was pleased to announce that production of H2Blu also brings jobs and economic
benefit to the community and the country, fulfilling another of Wakefield Canada’s business
objectives.
Background on Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Effective January 2010, the Canadian and U.S. EPA legislated new diesel emission standards for
all on-road trucks and buses in North America. These standards have greatly limited the
allowable NOx (Oxides of Nitrogen or Nitrogen Oxides) levels, to be emitted from diesel vehicles
– trucks of all classes, passenger cars, and buses. These requirements demand that all new road
vehicles with diesel engines, from 2010 on, have engines with technology that will ensure the
emission standards are met.
Most diesel engine manufacturers have focused on Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)
technology to reduce the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from diesel exhaust. SCR uses Diesel Exhaust
Fluid (DEF) and a catalytic converter to achieve the allowable standards.
DEF is defined as AUS 32 (Aqueous Urea Solution 32%) made from 32.5% high purity urea and
67.5% de-ionized water. DEF is easily compromised in terms of quality therefore extreme care
must be taken in handling and storing to ensure it does not get contaminated. Impurities will
cause the fluid not to work properly; even one teaspoon of salt can contaminate a 20,000 L tanker
full of DEF - or can cause damage to the SCR catalyst, causing engine problems to the point of
reduced engine performance or possibly nullifying engine warranties.
About Wakefield Canada Inc.
Wakefield Canada Inc., a wholly Canadian owned company, markets, distributes and
manufactures category-leading products for the automotive and heavy-duty vehicle marketplace.
In July, the company celebrated its sixth anniversary as exclusive Canadian marketer of Castrol
lubricants. With coast-to-coast distribution and warehousing Wakefield is uniquely able to supply
this essential product in an effective and timely manner.
Over its comparatively brief history, the company has received many honours and designations:
ISO 9001 for overall Wakefield operations, and ISO 14001 for manufacturing operations; 2009
and 2010 Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies (Best Managed) Award; and three times (2009,
2010 and 2011) named among the Top 50 Best Small and Medium Employers in Canada.
Wakefield has received official validation of carbon neutrality for 2008 and 2009 and is committed
to maintaining this approach in all business operations in future.

From left to right: Carlos Cervantes, V.P. West Coast Sales CDI, Luis D. Cervantes Jr., President Cervantes-Delgado Inc (CDI), Bob McDonald, President Wakefield Canada Inc, Don Moerdyke, V/P.
Manufacturing CDI, Dave Fifield, COO Wakefield Canada Inc, Ross Ayrhart, National Sales Manager, DEF at Wakefield Canada Inc, Chris Hughes, Director of Manufacturing Operations Wakefield Canada Inc
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