AdvanSix Explores Diesel Exhaust Fluid Production Expansion at Virginia Site

AdvanSix, an integrated chemical manufacturer headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, announced it has entered into a process design and licensing agreement to assess expansion of its ammonia platform at its Hopewell, Virginia site to enable domestic production of diesel exhaust fluid, an emissions-control additive used in diesel engine applications.

Diesel exhaust fluid is injected into the exhaust systems of diesel engines to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and is required to meet environmental standards across transportation, construction, agriculture and industrial equipment sectors. According to AdvanSix, domestic supply of the product remains constrained relative to demand, which is driven primarily by Class 8 vehicle usage in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States.

According to the company, the Hopewell site already produces all required inputs for diesel exhaust fluid manufacturing — carbon dioxide, ammonia and high-purity water — making it a natural candidate for the expansion. The project would not affect the site's existing ammonium sulfate fertilizer production.

AdvanSix has selected Stamicarbon, the nitrogen technology licensing unit of Nextchem, part of the MAIRE Group, to provide process design and licensed technology for the project. The proposed configuration includes a urea melt plant based on Stamicarbon's NX STAMI Urea technology fully integrated with a diesel exhaust fluid production unit designed to convert 100% of the urea melt output into the finished product. According to the companies, this represents the first project in which all urea melt production would be dedicated exclusively to diesel exhaust fluid.

"As a U.S. manufacturer, AdvanSix is uniquely situated to enable reliable, domestic supply to meet growing demand in a market currently served by production from other regions and imports," Erin Kane, president and CEO of AdvanSix said in a statement. "By exploring this expansion, we are creating future optionality to expand into adjacent products as market needs evolve while reinforcing our commitment to disciplined capital allocation and long-term value creation."

According to AdvanSix, the project is expected to advance through detailed engineering and development phases before a final investment decision, targeted for the first half of 2027. A potential plant startup is targeted for 2029.