As a journalist, I'm always looking for a new angle or hook to pull readers in and help them learn something new. Tier 4 is my "dead horse" that I'm still kicking.
What your thoughts are, and real feelings are toward Tier 4 and the overall EPA emissions regulations imposed. Question #1 that I haven't heard anybody ask is: Do you think all of your time and money spent on accomplishing Tier 4 Final is worth it?
The EPA, early on, estimated that the cost to meet Tier 4 would be a 3 or 4% price increase. Also, OEMs and owners are finding that no one is interested in purchasing a Tier 4 piece of equipment because 1) they don't have the ULSD fuel accessible, and 2) they have no interest in the emissions aftertreatment devices like DPFs or EGR systems because they don't need to meet those regulations in their country, and they don't know how to fix them if something breaks and they need a component replaced.
Is there a solution being discussed for where this equipment is going to go when people want to resell it? Is Brazil an option now that they're jumping on board with emissions regulations for 2017?
