Atlas Copco Extends its Leadership in Oil-Free Air With New ISO 'Class 0' Certificates

Antwerp, Belgium (ots/PRNewswire) - 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 TÜV 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 Überwachungs-Verein (Technical
Monitoring Association, or 'TÜV'), using the most stringent test
methods available and simulating realistic industrial environments.
Even with such rigorous testing, the TÜV 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 http://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 http://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 SAATCHI & SAATCHI BUSINESS
COMMUNICATIONS on behalf of Atlas Copco. This release, plus a full
press kit, containing translations into local languages and
high-resolution photographs and diagrams, is available on the Atlas
Copco website: http://www.classzero.com/

ots Originaltext: Atlas Copco
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
For further information please contact: Luc Hendrickx, President
Atlas Copco Compressor Technique - Oil-free Air Division,
+32-3-870-22-10 or luc.hendrickx@be.atlascopco.com