Atlas Copco Extends Its Leadership in Oil-Free Air with New ISO 'Class 0' Certificates.

ANTWERP, Belgium -- Atlas Copco has yet again proven its world leadership in air-compressor manufacturing - with new ISO 8573-1 CLASS 0 certificates for oil-free air compressors in the centrifugal, tooth, scroll and water-injected screw ranges. The 'Class 0' rating for these compressors is the next step in a continuous drive in innovation that began with the certification of the Z screw compressor range in 2006, the first compressors in the world to be TUV certified ISO 8573-1 CLASS 0.

With these latest 'Class 0' certificates, Atlas Copco can offer its customers a wide range of optimal and efficient compressor solutions capable of meeting every compressed-air application where high air purity is critical.

Testing of Atlas Copco oil-free compressors was carried out by the renowned independent Technische Uberwachungs-Verein (Technical Monitoring Association, or 'TUV'), using the most stringent test methods available and simulating realistic industrial environments. Even with such rigorous testing, the TUV found no traces of oil in the output air stream under any of the test conditions.

'The fact that we can now offer a wide range of Class 0 certified compressors means that we can help customers select the best and most efficient compressor technology to improve their productivity and profitability,' says Ronnie Leten, Atlas Copco's Business Area President Compressor Technique. 'It's a strategic choice of Atlas Copco to invest in new technologies, as this is the best way to help our customers meet their own targets. And one of the driving forces in Atlas Copco is our commitment to customer value.'

Importance of 100% oil-free air

Applications where 100% oil-free air is important include food and beverage processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing and packaging, chemical and petrochemical processing, semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, the medical sector, automotive paint spraying, textile manufacturing and many more.

Contamination by even the smallest quantities of oil in such purity-critical compressed-air applications can result in damaged products or product batches, high rejection rates and returns, and costly production downtime and cleanup. Atlas Copco's Class 0 air compressors eliminate the risks of oil contamination as well as the resulting extra costs, by preventing oil from entering the production process.

For Atlas Copco's customers, Class 0 certification means zero risk of contamination, zero risk of damaged or unsafe products, and zero risk of losses from operational downtime. Above all, zero risk of ruining a company's hard-won professional reputation.

Ranges receiving Class 0 certification

The Class Zero certification of the Z screw compressors is now extended with a wide range of oil-free air technologies, including the high-capacity ZH centrifugal compressors, the ZR/ZT tooth compressors, the AQ water-injected screw compressors, the SF scroll compressors and the P series of rental compressors.

The ZR/ZT screw compressor range, which was the first in the world to receive Class 0 certification, is generally the most efficient and reliable technology for critical applications between 55 and 900 kW.

With the ZH centrifugal compressor range, Atlas Copco is now able to offer efficient and certified 100% oil-free air for higher capacity base-load applications such as the fermentation, air separation and aeration processes that are important in chemical and pharmaceutical processing. Semiconductor and other electronics manufacturing, textile production and automotive applications can now also rely on 100% oil-free air in this capacity class.

Tooth compressor technology is proven to be the most energy-efficient for applications up to 50 kW. Here, Atlas Copco's ZR/ZT tooth compressors are especially essential in food and beverage facilities, pharmaceutical production and electronics.

Within the water-injected AQ series, now also Class 0 certified, Atlas Copco offers an oil-free air compressor which achieves 13 bar. The water-injected screw technology has proven to be of significant use for applications such as cosmetics manufacturing, tobacco industry and automotive fabrication.

Atlas Copco's SF scroll compressor range delivers pure air for hospital, dental and medical applications, printing industry, laboratories and dairy industry processing. These compressors benefit from extremely low noise and offer high energy efficiency to customers.

The PT, PTS and PNS rental oil-free portable compressors have recently also received Class 0 certification, answering industry needs for oil-free air in applications that are short-term yet purity-critical.

So whether a company's activities lie in pharmaceutical production, food processing, critical electronics or other similarly exacting sectors, Atlas Copco has an oil-free air compressor that can deliver the highest levels of 100% oil-free air - certified - giving customers the ultimate peace of mind.

Atlas Copco is a world-leading provider of industrial productivity solutions. The products and services range from compressed air and gas equipment, generators, construction and mining equipment, industrial tools and assembly systems, to related aftermarket and rental. In close cooperation with customers and business partners, and with more than 130 years of experience, Atlas Copco innovates for superior productivity. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, the group's global reach spans more than 150 markets. In 2006, Atlas Copco had 25 900 employees and revenues of BSEK 51 (BEUR 5.6).

Learn more at www.atlascopco.com.

Atlas Copco's Compressor Technique business area develops, manufactures, markets and services oil-free and oil-injected stationary air compressors, portable air compressors, gas and process compressors, turbo expanders, electric power generators, air treatment equipment and air management systems. It also offers speciality rental services. It innovates for superior productivity in applications such as manufacturing, construction and the process industry worldwide. Principal product development and main manufacturing units are in Antwerp, Belgium. More information is available on www.atlascopco.com.

This release, plus a full press kit and high-resolution photographs and diagrams, is available on the Atlas Copco website: http://www.classzero.com/

FOOTNOTE TO EDITORS:

This press release is distributed by MS&L on behalf of Atlas Copco Compressor Technique. This release, plus a full press kit and high-resolution photographs and diagrams, is available on the Atlas Copco website: http://www.classzero.com/