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Dutch infrastructure company Van Doorn was offered the opportunity to trial Atlas Copco’s B-Air 185-12 battery portable air compressor before its official market unveil. So, what was this company’s verdict?
Van Doorn got its hands on a prototype of Atlas Copco’s new battery powered portable air compressor in the beginning of this year, ahead of the unit’s official unveil in May. After using the B-Air 185-12 to support highway crash barrier installation and repair works, what is the company’s verdict? Do batteries have a lasting part to play in the industrial sector’s future?
According to Addy van Doorn, founder of Van Doorn, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. “I have to be honest, we were a bit sceptical initially, based on the fact that it is solely battery driven. ‘How long can it really last?’, we thought?” confesses Addy. “But I’m happy to say that we’ve been thoroughly impressed by its performance. It operates efficiently all day, meaning we’re not only maintaining our productivity, but also gaining some extra advantages by opting for a low-carbon alternative.”
Full autonomy
Van Doorn’s expertise includes constructing and maintaining infrastructure, as well as traffic works and landscaping. Many of these projects take place on remote
sites where regular access to grid electricity is not available. The B-Air’s onboard power pack means the site team has benefitted from the autonomy that the unit offers, while still enabling them to work a full work shift. With power delivered from its onboard battery storage, in operation a fully charged B-Air is independent of the need for fuel or a local power source to plug into, eliminating localised emissions and bringing full portability to Van Doorn’s projects.
Van Doorn using the B-Air 185-12 for building crash barriers
“There are no local emissions, and it’s also surprisingly quiet with only 61 dB at 7 meter,” continues Addy. “I can say for certain that I would recommend the B-Air, and will consider purchasing more B-Air units after trialling the prototype.” Van Doorn remained true to its word: the company purchased the first ever B-Air on the day of its market launch in Antwerp, Belgium. And during summer the company invested in yet another B-Air unit, taking another step closer towards adopting a more environmentally responsible way of working.
Making history
The B-Air came to life thanks to a collaboration between Atlas Copco and its longstanding Netherlands-based partner and dealer, Perslucht Wilda. “Our customers had come directly to us requesting a battery-driven compressor,” explains Remko van Piggelen, owner of Perslucht Wilda. “The largest part of our customer-base works in infrastructure and aren’t located on construction sites, meaning a standard electric unit with a power cord just isn’t suitable for them.”
Responding to its customer’s demands for a low-carbon and fully mobile electric compressor, Perslucht Wilda contacted Atlas Copco to join forces in developing a solution. The final prototype was then offered to a handful of Perslucht Wilda’s customers – including Van Doorn – to trial. The rest, as they say, is history.
Van Doorn using the B-Air 185-12 for building crash barriers
“There is already a major push for battery-powered solutions – on a governmental and societal level, but also from companies,” shares Maarten Vermeiren, Product Marketing Manager of Sustainability and Digitalisation in Atlas Copco’s Portable Air Division. “For Atlas Copco and our partner Van Doorn, developing the B-Air was an obvious step in a more sustainable direction. Atlas Copco ultimately wants to support all our customers – and their customers – in adopting energy efficient practices, so that together we can help to reduce our environmental footprint.”
Do you want to learn more about this B-Air testing? Check out these videos:
