Jan Kougl
Atlas Copco Compressor Technique General Manager
The Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the world, in terms of both health and economy. What are your general views on the effects of the pandemic?
We are going through extraordinary times that affect our health both physically and psychologically and which we see the economic effects as well. The Covid-19 pandemic continues to produce uncertainty despite the challenges we face every day. However, this is also a process that brings out the best for many people. As we have seen from the healthcare personnel and the first responders who struggle in the front lines as well as those who provide food, products and services. As Atlas Copco Compressor Technique, we are grateful to all who serve, care and supply people in need. We are proud to play a critical role in this struggle by partnering with industries.
During this pandemic process, it is necessary to remain calm, communicate clearly with stakeholders, protect our employees and society, work in the light of real and correct information and act quickly. This is difficult and a new situation for all of us. It constantly changes both our daily life and the way we work.
Digitalization becomes more important; companies that guide this change will be more advantageous in this period. Since this pandemic affects the whole world without exception, it will have economic consequences.
How have you been affected by this pandemic as a company? Have there been any changes in your goals in terms of turnover, sales, exports etc.?
Our number one priority is to always protect and keep our employees safe. During this time, we have implemented additional disinfection, cleaning and hygiene protocols in our facilities and still we implement other safety measures, such as the use of social distance, hygiene and protective equipment, daily screening and fever checks to protect our employees.
We are proud of our employees who support our customers by working in the field or remotely, and who ignore themselves for the sake of supporting our customers and the society in this difficult period. As always, we continue our activities as a brand that keeps our promises to our customers and supports them with sustainable efficient solutions.
As a company, we serve our customers 24/7, and we continue to work remotely and in the field during this period. Some industries, such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, wastewater treatment or energy, continue to work without interruption, while others have reduced their production capacity.
In this process, there will be some short and long-term arrangements in agile, lean organizations, in which timely actions are taken and we continue to grow and which become stronger with the world. We anticipate that the effects of this crisis may take longer. However, our company and our business order are arranged so that they do not require major changes in long-term goals. Therefore, despite the decline caused by the virus, we were able to proceed with solid results in the first quarter of 2020. It’s hard to predict what might happen in the coming days. But we all need to know that demands can worsen for a while, and this can affect capacity and costs. Great efforts are made everywhere, in every respect. We will experience the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in the 2nd quarter and later.
How will be the new situation in the rest of the year and how will the sector be affected?
Like all industrial segments, the cement industry has been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The cement manufacturers who are relieved by making exports outside during the stagnant period in Turkey were forced make changes in working hours and conditions due to pandemic and therefore there has been a decline in production capacity.
Many producers took their stopping plans for some of their plants earlier and tried to spend the pandemic based slowdown as efficiently as possible, at least by completing their annual maintenance. We have seen that there are a few factories that continue to operate at full capacity, despite that most factories changed their shift systems and stopped some lines.
With the arrival of the summer period and taking of the Covid-19 pandemic under control, we will enter a period when the projects stopped will be started again and the construction will be accelerated. We believe that cement producers, who have completed their general maintenance in this period, will have an intense summer period and there will be some acceleration in the sector.
Today, the vast majority of compressed air needs of cement plants are provided by blowers. Most of the blowers used in processes like coal mills, raw meal, silo decoction etc. consist of belt and pulley driven blowers known as lobed or roots type. “Low initial investment cost” plays an important role in the preference of lobe type blowers which cause high energy consumption and more frequent maintenance periods. However, considering the cost
created by blowers during the entire working period in the system preferences, it is clearly seen that lobed systems are a more costly technology.
As Atlas Copco, which supports every sector and production area, we also offer special solutions for the cement industry. Atlas Copco is the only company in the world that produces all types of blowers (roots, screw magnetic bearing turbo, multi-stage centrifuge). With more than 145 years of knowledge and experience in the compressor field, we offer ZS screw type positive displacement blowers to replace lobed / roots type blowers. In addition, screw type blowers with higher initial investment costs meet the amortization period within 1.5 – 2.5 years thanks to the energy savings of up to 30%. It is also seen that this average period, in some cases, pays off investment costs in less than 1 year.
As Atlas Copco, which provides solutions as a total package for the needs, we also offer a 5-year warranty on the screw group of the ZS screw type blowers, which we provide together with the starter, frequency converter and sound cabin.
Our innovations in the globally proven GA series, which does not compromise on performance and efficiency for years, is one of the solutions offered in Smart AIR. The most prominent features of the newly developed GA 90+ – 160 and GA 110-160 VSD + series are as follows:
• High efficiency IE4 class IP66 protection standard oil cooled engine
• Working up to 46°C as standard or optionally fixed speed up to 55°C, VSD solution up to 50°C (high temperature version)
• Minimum service time with brand-new design and service parts that are easy to access
• Less than 2 ppm oil in compressed air (New generation oil separators with multi cartridge type)
• Optional integrated type gas dryer (FF option) • New generation color and touch user friendly screen
• Energy recovery option (energy recovery as hot water up to 78%)
• 5 year all inclusive warranty is given under the maintenance agreement.
As Atlas Copco, which provides the highest level of efficiency with the challenging conditions of cement production with these features, we continue to keep our promise of sustainable productivity by considering the needs of our customers.
What kind of restructuring and a process do you foresee as a company after Covid-19?
Our main focus is on the health and safety of our employees, customers and the society. For this reason, we have taken all necessary precautions, such as hygiene and personal protection equipment, to keep our employees safe. Our agile organizational structure gave us the opportunity to adapt ourselves to the situation. We attach importance to open and timely communication with both our employees and the market. Our crisis team took the measures without waiting and shared these measures and latest developments with our employees and customers without delay.
This is a global health crisis and we believe that the way of working needs to be redefined in the light of every new information, and that the necessary platform should be offered to people to reach the right information in order to avoid rumors with transparent communication, and our communication has always been in this direction.
The coronavirus pandemic can fundamentally change the way people experience, work and use technology. Developed industries will likely see a change in preferences as employees and leaders’ expectations begin to change. Organizations that reinvent themselves will emerge much more strongly than those who are trying to regain their positions before Covid-19.
For industrial companies, this global health crisis can lead to a revitalization of the approach to the market. In addition, the spread of Covid-19 led to increased workforce flexibility as teams adapt to remote or virtual work methods. In addition, companies have added flexible working hours so that employees can take care of children and elderly family members during the crisis. In the new normal, we anticipate that we will see more opportunities in terms of flexible corporal employment contracts and remote work to make better use of the global talent pool.