Saint-Gobain Ceramic Materials, in China, is reporting that its decision four years ago to install an AIRnet compressed air piping system is still paying dividends.

The firm, which manufactures green silicon carbide, also went for Atlas Copco's ZT Series oil-free screw compressors enabling the company to meet the ISO 8573-1 0 standard for oil content in its air.

Liu Guanzhan, from Saint-Gobain's purchasing department, explains that in 2009, with the leap forward in photovoltaics, demand for silicon carbide increased sharply, which is why Saint-Gobain expanded its production capacity in its Mudanjiang plant in Heilongjiang Province.

"We selected Atlas Copco from two world-class air compressor suppliers," recalls Liu. "Our choice was based on multiple factors, including product quality, market share, etc., in combination with reputation in the industry."

He explains that the layout of the Saint-Gobain factory requires frequent adjustments, and that Atlas Copco's AIRnet makes reconfiguration simple. Individual components can be removed and re-installed as the factory is changed.

He also says that, because many of the raw materials are in powder form, moisture content of the compressed air, including oil, has to be tightly controlled. Hence the ISO 8573-1 0 standard.

Atlas Copco has since become a strategic global supplier to the Saint-Gobain Group.