Posted to News on 3rd Mar 2025, 13:00
Processed food manufacturer reduces air compressor lifecycle costs by £200,000 following air audit
A leading supplier of cooked meat products has significantly reduced its air compressor lifecycle costs by upgrading its existing compressed air system which had an external heated dryer to an Atlas Copco oil-free compressor with an integrated heat of compression dryer.
As a food manufacturer, the company needed to achieve ISO 8573-1 compressed air quality standards, with no risk of contamination originating from the compressor and had been weighing up the pros and cons of an oil-injected compressor with filtration versus an oil-free air compressor.
Another supplier had advised an oil-injected system but, although it would have cost less upfront, it would have come with a risk. Following a consultation with Atlas Copco who completed an AIRscan audit, the long-term value of investing in an oil-free compressor with a heat of compression dryer, which uses only a negligible amount of energy, was proven to be the best option.
Significant savings were shown to come from a reduction in maintenance, oil changes, filtration, and energy consumption over time. What's more the integrated dryer saves space, which was important in the company's cramped plant room.
The return on investment of an Atlas Copco ZR 145 oil-free compressor with integrated MDG dryer and energy recovery worked out to be under three years, meaning not only greater financial benefits but also the removal of any risk of product contamination.
Like Atlas Copco, this company has an industry-leading sustainability strategy and Science Based Targets, which requires them to work towards significantly reducing carbon emissions, including taking action to measure and mitigate climate risk within their supply chain.
