Eminox is to introduce a new range of Fuel Borne Catalyst (FBC) products after reaching an exclusive partnership deal with the Octel Corporation.

Eminox is the European market leader in purpose-designed exhaust and emission control systems for commercial vehicles and buses, and the Octel Corporation is one of the world’s leading fuel treatment specialists.

Octel initiated the deal, because it wanted a partner with international presence, and specialist exhaust engineering skills, to market its Fuel borne catalyst products. The product range – including the Octel Octimax^TM Adastra, and Adinject brands – is already on the market, but the deal with Eminox is intended to add commercial muscle to the sales and marketing on an international level.

Under the arrangement, Eminox will continue to use the Octel Octimax name, and has the rights to the other product names; warranties for existing customers will be honoured, and they will continue to receive uninterrupted support.

“The arrangement means that we will be able to fit emission control systems to a wider range of vehicles,” said Eminox General Manager Paul Priestley. “It gives us the potential to grow market share in the light-duty commercial vehicle sector. The FBC products are complementary to our existing Continuously Regenerating Trap (CRT®) products, and will also sit neatly alongside our soon-to-be-launched Selective Catalytic Reduction Trap (SCRT®) range.”

The CRT system is ideal for the vast majority of buses and large trucks, and for vehicles with heavy duty cycles where the engine is working hard and generates considerable heat. FBC products are better suited to light duty cycles and smaller engines, with lower exhaust temperatures.

“Over the past few years, we have proven the technology. But to market it successfully, we needed a strong partner,” said Mr Brian Watt of Octel’s Petroleum Specialties business. “With world-class research and development capability and applications engineering, and with an international customer base, Eminox has the skills and resources to bring the technology to market.”

Octel, which had sales of $480m last year, is re-focusing on its core competencies. The Adastra manufacturing facility in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, has now been closed.