AdBlue® is the same product whether it comes in a 10 L drum or a 1,000 L IBC. What changes is the packaging, the handling and the price per litre. Choosing the right pack size is one of the simplest ways to cut AdBlue running costs, but only if it matches how fast you use it and how you handle it on site.
Side-by-side comparison
Figures below are Liquidia's published Ex Works prices, excluding GST, for Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. Per-litre cost is the pack price divided by its volume, rounded to the cent.
| Pack | Pack price | Per litre | Pallet | Litres per pallet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 L drum | $19.50 | $1.95 | 75 drums | 750 L |
| 15 L drum | $27.50 | $1.83 | 48 drums | 720 L |
| 20 L drum | $31.50 | $1.58 | 48 drums | 960 L |
| 210 L drum | $185.00 | $0.88 | 4 drums | 840 L |
| 1,000 L IBC, timber base | $890.00 | $0.89 | single | 1,000 L |
| 1,000 L IBC, steel base | $990.00 | $0.99 | single | 1,000 L |
Add 10% GST and delivery, which is quoted to your suburb. Single 10, 15 and 20 L drums are available by phone. Perth pricing is on request.
What the numbers show
- Stepping up from 10 L to 20 L saves about 37 cents a litre. For anyone buying small drums regularly, the 20 L is the better value if you can lift it.
- The big drop is from small drums to 210 L or IBC. A 20 L drum works out at $1.58 a litre against $0.89 for a timber-base IBC, a difference of about 69 cents a litre. Across 1,000 L, that's roughly $685 ex GST.
- The 210 L drum is the lowest per-litre pack at $0.88, but it needs a drum pump and a way to move a heavy drum.
- Timber versus steel base IBCs differ by 4 cents a litre. The product is identical; choose based on how the IBC will be handled and stored on your site.
Matching pack size to how you work
The lowest per-litre pack only pays off if you use it well. Weigh up these factors:
10 L and 15 L drums
Best for cars, utes, light commercials and small workshops. At roughly 1–1.5 L per 1,000 km for cars and utes, a 10 L drum lasts a long time. A full 10 L drum weighs a little under 11 kg, so it's easy to carry and pour. Good for keeping a spare in a service vehicle.
20 L drums
The practical choice for mixed fleets and workshops topping up trucks by hand. A full drum weighs close to 22 kg, which is manageable but heavy to lift repeatedly to a filler neck. A heavy truck using around 15–17 L per 1,000 km can take most of a drum in a long day.
210 L drums
Suit workshops, farms and small depots with steady use but no forklift for an IBC. A hand drum pump (lever or rotary) or a small electric pump makes dispensing straightforward. Our 210 L drum and rotary pump bundle is set up for this.
1,000 L IBCs
For fleets, depots and sites using a few hundred litres a month or more. A full IBC weighs about 1,150 kg, so you'll need a forklift and level ground. Dispense with a 240 V pump kit or a gravity feed kit from an elevated position. Keep it out of direct sun, ideally with an insulated cover.
A simple rule of thumb
Buy the largest pack you can use within its shelf life under your storage conditions, and can handle safely. As a guide from ISO 22241-3, AdBlue kept at or below 25°C lasts around 18 months, and at or below 30°C around 12 months. An IBC that takes two years to empty in a hot shed isn't a saving.
One thing to do today: total up the litres on your last three months of AdBlue invoices and divide by three. Compare that monthly figure with the pack sizes above. If your monthly use is close to or above 1,000 L, it's also worth asking about bulk tanker delivery into an on-site tank.
How Liquidia can help
Liquidia makes AdBlue in Australia under VDA licence No. 0005569 and supplies every pack size from 10 L drums to bulk tanker loads. See the current price list or order packs and bundles through the online store.