AF Compressors

AF Compressors is a Belgian industrial equipment manufacturer specialising in the design, production and servicing of oil-free piston compressors. Its roots go back to 1870, when the Société des Établissements François was founded at Sclessin-lez-Liège to build pneumatic hammers for tunnel, mine and public-works construction. Over more than 150 years the company evolved through steam engines, mechanical piston compressors for coal mining and steelmaking, and eventually oil-free compression technology. Today AF Compressors is best known as the global leader in high-quality oil-free piston compressors for the PET blow-moulding market, supplying clean, oil-free air at pressures required to blow beverage and other plastic bottles. The company designs and manufactures a comprehensive range of oil-free piston compressors, including 3-stage PET compressor models, and positions them on energy efficiency, reliability and sustainability. Its machines are engineered for continuous 24/7 operation in demanding industrial environments, with multi-stage compression, advanced control and monitoring, and low energy consumption as core design priorities. Beyond PET bottling, AF compressors serve applications in breweries, the glass industry, chemical, petrochemical, metallurgical and food industries, where clean oil-free air is essential. AF Compressors operates from its main factory and headquarters in Belgium, with world-class production centres in Kunshan, China and Pune, India supporting those thriving markets. Since the 1990s it has developed local service and maintenance activities through subsidiaries and technical support spread across Europe, Russia, China, the Middle East, Africa, India, North America, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Australia. Its service portfolio covers the full lifecycle of a compressor, from presale engineering consultation, energy-efficiency recommendations and total cost of ownership analysis to technical support, aftersales service, spare parts and maintenance. The brand's mission is to provide state-of-the-art compressor solutions that enhance operational efficiency while minimising environmental impact, and to be the global benchmark for oil-free compression technology. AF Compressors remains a privately held industrial company; its ownership structure is not disclosed in the available public sources.

The history of AF Compressors begins in 1870, when the Société des Établissements François was created at Sclessin-lez-Liège in Belgium to manufacture pneumatic hammers used on tunnel and gallery construction sites for coal mines and public works. In parallel, in 1896, the Société Moteurs was formed to build steam engines. When the Liège-born inventor Zénobe Gramme developed the first direct-current dynamo, the days of steam engines became numbered, and around 1900 the company turned to manufacturing mechanical piston compressors for coal mines. After about thirty years of production, by around 1930 some compressors reached outputs of 1,000 horsepower. At that time a partnership between the Société Moteurs and another company gave birth to Moteurs et François réunis. During the following two decades, industrial piston compressors for the steel industry were developed. In 1960, Ateliers François S.A. was incorporated with the task of increasing exports and extending commercial activities abroad. A new range of non-lubricated compressors with PTFE piston rings was developed in the late 1960s, featuring an L-shaped design known as the Compresseur Équerre. These machines found application in breweries, the glass industry, and the chemical, petrochemical, metallurgical and food industries. In the 1980s, the first oil-free piston compressor rated at 40 bar for PET bottle blowing was introduced. The construction of this type of machine now constitutes the principal and almost exclusive activity of Ateliers François, whose name also evolved to match globalisation and became AF Compressors. Since the 1980s, PET bottles have spread into many domains: mineral water and carbonated drinks, fruit juices, edible oil, beer, but also vinegar, sometimes wine, sauces and condiments, liquid soaps, medicines and perfumes. AF's production of oil-free piston PET compressors is almost exclusively dedicated to the PET bottling application. Since the 1990s, AF has developed its service and maintenance activities locally through subsidiaries and technical support distributed around the globe, notably in Europe, Russia, China, the Middle East, Africa and India, as well as North America, Latin America, Southeast Asia and Australia. Today the company operates its main factory and headquarters in Belgium, with world-class production centres in Kunshan, China and Pune, India. It describes itself as having more than 150 years of expertise and as the global leader in supplying high-quality oil-free piston compressors for the PET blow-moulding market.

• 1990

  Since the 1990s, AF develops local service and maintenance activities through subsidiaries and technical support worldwide.

• 1980

  First oil-free piston compressor rated at 40 bar for PET bottle blowing introduced.

• 1960

  Ateliers François S.A. incorporated to increase exports and extend commercial activities abroad.

• 1960

  Late 1960s: new range of non-lubricated compressors with PTFE piston rings developed, including the L-shaped Compresseur Équerre.

• 1930

  Some compressors reach outputs of 1,000 horsepower; Moteurs et François réunis formed.

• 1900

  Company shifts toward manufacturing mechanical piston compressors for coal mines.

• 1896

  Société Moteurs established to build steam engines.

• 1870

  Société des Établissements François founded at Sclessin-lez-Liège, Belgium, to manufacture pneumatic hammers.

Global leader in high-quality oil-free piston compressors for the PET blow-moulding market, emphasising energy efficiency, reliability and sustainability.

• 3-stage oil-free piston PET compressors

  High-pressure oil-free piston compressors designed for PET bottle blow moulding.

• Oil-free piston compressors

  Range of oil-free piston compressors delivering clean air for various industrial applications.

• Compresseur Équerre

  L-shaped non-lubricated compressor with PTFE piston rings developed in the late 1960s.

1. 1AF Compressors - Energy Sobrietyafcompressors.com
2. 2Our company | AF Compressorsafcompressors.com
3. 3Services | AF Compressorsafcompressors.com
4. 4Contact | AF Compressorsafcompressors.com
5. 5AF Compressorswikidata.org
6. 6AF compressorsfr.wikipedia.org