Cleaire Advanced Emissions Controls, a major manufacturer of diesel particulate filters (DPFs), abruptly ceased operations on Jan. 18. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) said in a statement that this “will likely have an effect on the warranties and parts availability of Cleaire filters. It further stated, “affected owners and fleets with Cleaire filters, as noted in ARB records, will not be penalized for missing deadlines with applicable ARB regulations until this situation is resolved.”

In a letter to Cleaire customers, ARB stated it is working with fleets, dealers, and parts suppliers to minimize the closure's impact. It's also working with other device manufacturers to assess how they could help affected fleets.

Vehicles with installed Cleaire devices that are not Longmile, Allmetral, and CCM products still meet applicable in-use fleet requirements.

Cleaire's Longmile and CMM products that have been recalled are still in compliance with ARB fleet rules provided the appropriate documentation, previously provided by Cleaire, is carried with the affected vehicle at all times.

Fleets that have replaced Longmile filters with Cleaire's CCM product can still operate those vehicles. For fleets that have yet to replace the LongMile filter, ARB is working to ensure they replace them as quickly as possible. ARB added that fleets still using Cleaire's LongMile product should monitor the operational status of this product and pay attention to all safety requirements as described in the owner’s manual.

For orders of Cleaire products that fleets haven't yet installed, ARB said there are many other verified technologies available. According to ARB's website, 39 filters are available that meet Level 3 PM requirements (85% reduction in particulate matter).

Trucking Info reports that the sudden closure may be caused by sparks from Cleaire filters causing fires as well as expensive recalls.

Visit the ARB site for the full customer letter and updates regarding the Cleaire closure.