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Air Compressors for the Agriculture Industry
Did you know a well-managed compressed air system can reduce your farm’s energy bills by over 30%? Compressed air is often a farm’s fourth utility, delivering power to systems as diverse as milking robots, crop sprayers, and production line packing stations.
But leaks and inefficiency can really suck the profit from your pockets. Farms in Yorkshire and the East Midlands can’t afford to overlook the potential to use this all-important utility more productively and more profitably.
This guide shows you how. As a Premier Atlas Copco Distributor with engineers in Leeds, Sheffield, and Nottingham, Search Air provides the equipment and expertise UK farms need to turn compressed air into a competitive advantage.
How Compressed Air Boosts Farm Efficiency
A dependable farm air compressor is a workhorse that makes everyday jobs easier, saves physical labour, and guards your investment.
Arable, Crop & Horticultural Farming
- Defend your crop: Transfer, convey, and store grains, seed, and fertilisers using grain silo aeration blowers that won’t damage them like mechanical systems.
- Boost yields: Drive precision sprayers for even application of fertilisers and pesticides to use less and get better results.
- Greenhouse automation: Automatically control ventilation, irrigation, and environment to provide ideal growing conditions.
- Avoid thousands in winter damage: A Nottinghamshire arable farm was able to winterise its irrigation lines using compressed air, rather than relying on water drainage to prevent frozen and burst pipes.
Dairy, Livestock & Poultry Operations
- Ensure Maximum Uptime: Power critical automation systems such as robotic milking equipment, automated feeding systems, and pneumatic gates. Minimise catastrophic downtime with an on-demand, reliable air supply.
- Enhance Animal Welfare: Maintain the best possible air quality and temperature in barns and sheds with pneumatically controlled ventilation systems.
On-Farm Processing & Packing
- Increase Throughput: Drive automated sorting, bagging, and packaging lines for more consistent, high-speed processing.
- Ensure Food Safety: Use air knives for water-free cleaning of produce and equipment, a critical step for meeting hygiene standards.
Choosing the Right System for Your Farm
Selecting the right technology is a strategic decision that impacts reliability, running costs, and product safety.
For Continuous, Demanding Operations: Rotary Screw
Designed for a 100% duty cycle, these are the ideal choice for powering critical automated systems, such as milking robots or packaging lines, where reliability is non-negotiable.
For Intermittent Workshop Use: Piston
A cost-effective option for low-demand tasks like inflating tyres or powering air tools in a maintenance workshop. Not suitable for continuous use.
For Guaranteed Product Safety: Oil-Free
The only way to eliminate the risk of oil contamination in your air stream is to use an oil-free compressor.”. This is essential for any application where compressed air touches food, from dairy automation to vegetable packing, ensuring you meet strict retailer and food safety standards.
Recommended Atlas Copco Systems for Agriculture
As an Atlas Copco Premier Distributor, we provide robust, reliable, and energy-efficient compressors designed for the demands of modern farming.
Cut Energy Use by an Average of 35% with GA VSD+ Compressors.
The ideal workhorse for general farm machinery. The Variable Speed Drive (VSD+) technology automatically adjusts its motor speed to match air demand, reducing energy waste typically associated with fixed-speed models. They offer a pressure range of 5–13 bar and a flow rate of up to 500 l/s.
Guarantee Food Safety with ZR/ZT Oil-Free Compressors
The benchmark for food-safe applications. These units are ISO 8573-1 Class 0 certified, a standard more stringent than Class 1, guaranteeing zero risk of oil contamination. They provide the ultimate protection for your products and peace of mind during food safety audits.
Efficiently Aerate and Convey with ZS/ZB/ZL Blowers
Perfect for applications like grain silo aeration. ZS and ZB screw blowers offer the best energy efficiency and quiet operation, while ZL lobe blowers are a rugged, lower-cost option for harsher environments.
Take Control of Your Packaging with On-Site Nitrogen
NGM and NGP nitrogen generators produce a food-grade source of nitrogen from compressed air. It enables you to manage MAP on site and insulates you from third-party cylinder deliveries and price fluctuations.
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Cut Energy Use by an Average of 35% with GA VSD+ Compressors.
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Guarantee Food Safety with ZR/ZT Oil-Free Compressors
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Efficiently Aerate and Convey with ZS/ZB/ZL Blowers
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Take Control of Your Packaging with On-Site Nitrogen
Unlock Savings with a Complete System Audit
A compressor is just one part of the system. Inefficiency in your pipework, storage, or air treatment wastes money every day. Search Air offers energy-efficient compressed air solutions to stop these hidden losses.
Stop Paying for Power Leaks.
The average farm loses 20-30% of its compressed air to leaks. A single tiny leak can cost over £500 a year in wasted electricity. Our ultrasonic leak detection audits find and fix these profit drains.
Reduce Energy Use by 7% for Every 1 Bar of Pressure Drop.
Many systems run at a higher pressure than needed. We analyse your actual requirements and optimise your system pressure, unlocking immediate and significant energy savings.
Get Free Hot Water with Heat Recovery
Up to 90% of a compressor’s energy is lost as heat. A heat recovery unit captures this thermal energy to produce hot water for cleaning, wash-downs, or heating. One East Yorkshire dairy cut its annual energy costs by 40% by upgrading to a GA VSD+ with heat recovery.
Meet UK Compliance and Food Safety Standards
We ensure your system is safe, legal, and ready for audits.
Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) 2000
We act as the “competent person” to create your legally required Written Scheme of Examination (WSE) and conduct statutory inspections to keep you compliant with HSE regulations.
ISO 8573-1 Food Safety Standards
We provide professional air quality testing to verify and document that your compressed air meets the strict purity classes (e.g., Class [2:2:1]) required by retailers and BRCGS auditors.
Your Local Partner for Agricultural Compressed Air
When a compressor fails during harvest, you need a local expert who can respond fast. With a 24/7 emergency repair service and bases across the region, Search Air is your local partner for agricultural compressed air. We offer customised preventive compressor maintenance plans in the UK to maximise your uptime and protect your investment.
We combine world-class Atlas Copco technology with responsive, local service to deliver a solution tailored to the unique demands of agriculture in our region. To discover the full benefits and uses of air compressors, learn about the different types of air compressors and their applications, or explore our dedicated air compressor services in East Yorkshire and the agricultural sector air compressor service in Worksop.
Book your free on-site airCHECK today, cut leaks, save energy, and protect your farm’s profits.
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