Atlas Copco opens electric compressors production line

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Leading the shift to a more sustainable society, Atlas Copco has inaugurated its first production line dedicated to the assembly of low carbon electric compressors.

Based in Antwerp, Belgium, the new assembly line has cut lead times for the E-Air VSD units by half, the company said.

Atlas Copco’s electric mobile compressor range has gained considerable momentum since its release in 2019. Designed to deliver a cost-effective and low carbon compressed air solution in even the toughest applications, the E-Air is in demand across the construction, oil and gas, and mining sectors.

Responding to the growth of consumer interest in clean energy tech, Atlas Copco has invested in the extra capacity to optimise its output of the E-Air mobile compressors. The new production line – which is itself powered by green electricity, including extensive solar panels on site – has more than doubled daily production capacity of the E-Air at the facility.

Cutting lifetime carbon emissions

During a research project in 2021, Atlas Copco quantified and confirmed that the majority of emissions derive not at the time of manufacture, but from the lifetime use of its products. As a consequence, the company decided to tackle this in-use carbon footprint by increasing the accessibility of electric portable compressed air solutions. The extended production of the electric units will positively impact machine availability and time-to-market, thereby accelerating the transition to a more sustainable future, it said.

"The dedicated E-Air production line is a tangible symbol of our commitment to a sustainable transformation. We are embracing innovation that meets our customer and partner demands for efficient low carbon solutions, while simultaneously lowering our own emissions. The new, all-electric assembly line supports our collective sustainability targets, and together help us contribute to a better tomorrow," said Bert Derom , President Atlas Copco Portable Air Division.