ELGi Equipments launched its range of oil-free air-compressors at the recently held ?Compressed Air Best Practices Conference? in Chicago at the O?Hare Crowne Plaza Conference Center. The three-day four-track conference saw leading experts from the compressed air industry convene and aimed to bridge the gap between the suppliers and users of compressed air to introduce compressed air users to best practices.

ELGi?s oil-free range comprises machines ranging from 60 hp and 100 hp with 7 bar and 8.8 bar pressure options. The air-cooled design will ensure ease of installation at all customers, while the aluminium coolers will ensure efficient cooling. High efficiency NEMA motors power the machines with separate ducting for noise reduction. ELGi is one of five companies in the world with a proprietary oil-free airend design. The new models are supported by ELGi?s four-year airend warranty and a strong service network. The added models will ensure that ELGi is able to service all oil-free air needs in the US market.

Anvar Jay Varadaraj, Global Head - Marketing & Corporate Communications said, ?All of us at ELGi are extremely thrilled by the response we received at the launch of our oil-free compressors at the Compressed Air Best Practices Conference. Though small relative to the lubricated screw compressor segment, oil-free compressors are growing in prominence owing to environmental and clean air considerations. In traditional oil flooded compressors, oil plays the roles of lubricant, sealant, and coolant. As a result, the discharged air has trace amounts of oil, which would be unacceptable to sensitive industries such as food and beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturing. Oil-free compressors produce oil-free air, by having no oil in the compression chamber. We are constantly striving to achieve higher levels of sophistication for all our products, and are gratified by the feedback from vendors and partners at this conference.?

The global market demand for oil-free air compressors is US$ 4 billion in 2017 with an estimated growth rate of 3-4 per cent by 2024. These compressors are used across a variety of manufacturing applications, witnessing strong demand from the food and beverage sector, owing to mandatory health and safety requirements. An industry focus on economical manufacturing methods, lower installation and maintenance costs are also contributing to growth.