What is Atlas Copco and what does it offer?
Ahmed Hamdy: Atlas Copco has been a global leader in portable energy for almost 150 years. Its commitment to innovation is focused on the development of equipment that is easy to move, reduces fuel costs, cuts down on CO2 emissions and saves money on site.
Approximately 3% of Atlas Copco’s total revenue, around $334mn is invested in research and development annually, and the portable energy division is one of the most active in terms of product development, which allows us to be on the forefront of new technology delivering solutions which are not only innovative but offer our customers real benefits when it comes to fuel efficiency and performance.
fmME: Which sectors of the GCC market are your products featured in?
AH: As a leading supplier of industrial and construction equipment you can find Atlas Copco products in most markets and projects in the region. One sector we are focusing closely on in the coming year is the generator and lighting tower business. We have seen phenomenal growth in the last year, despite 2015 being a tough year economically due to the weakened oil prices and its downward pressure on economic growth.
fmME: What are some of the typical solutions sought out by your customers?
AH: We offer a wide range of generators from small portable units 2.9-13.9kVA, mobile units offering 9-1250kVA and industrial generators offering 10-830 kVA.
For FM applications the extensive QIS, application-oriented range of generators offers our customers 18 models to choose from, from the smallest QIS 10 up to QIS 740 (849 kW prime/925 kW standby). These are ideal for industries such as data centres, healthcare, utilities, manufacturing, retail, recreation, telecommunications, public works and transportation.
fmME: What kind of sustainable technologies do you incorporate into your generator designs?
AH: As mentioned earlier, we invest heavily in the development and engineering of all our products and by listening to and understanding the needs of our customers, enables us to deliver solutions which deliver optimal performance for the most demanding conditions and applications.
This results in generators which are extremely reliable and fuel efficient, but also minimises the environmental impact. For example all our mobile and industrial generators feature spillage-free frames and superior sound attenuation.
For example our 1MW QAC 1250 generator has a maximum sound pressure level (LPA) of only 67 dB(A) making it ideal for residential and quiet applications.
The QAC 1100, which is one of our latest generators offers true versatility to our customers. Comprising of two 500kVA generators inside a standard 20-foot ISO CSC container, the QAC 1100 is ideal for applications with variable power needs.
By combining two generators in one fully-engineered package, users can utilise up to one megawatt of power at anywhere between full load and low load, maximising fuel efficiency and significantly cutting running costs. This is thanks to a fast paralleling control system which allows the two generators to either work independently or in parallel with each other.
Loading issues are removed which ensures that the generators run at peak performance for their task, while limiting fuel consumption. At one megawatt of power the QAC 1100 produces the same output performance and efficiency as a single generator package.
Recent innovations includes our QC 4003 controller which offers a plug and play design that enables simple and quick configuration. Other features include the ability to remotely start and program the machine, as well as data analysis capability. This controller is equipped with a power management system that enables the optimisation of fuel consumption and expands the lifetime of generators when that are working in parallel to form a mobile or independent power plant.
Additionally, Digital AVR is included as an option on our QAS range of generators. This new type of voltage controller allows customers to downsise the required generator in specific applications by enabling them to manage the transient behavior of the power.
With smart control of the generators voltage, it’s possible to achieve lower fuel consumption, reduced maintenance cost and longer lifetimes.
fmME: What are your expectations for the 2016 year?
AH: Even though 2016, looks to be a challenging year ahead, we still growth in some segments. Our main focus on generators and lighting towers in this region will lead Atlas Copco to growth in these markets.
