Airflow Update - September 2025

Every month, we share insights to keep you informed about what’s happening in the compressed air industry, from safety reminders and maintenance best practices to market trends, technology updates, and product highlights. Safety is always our top priority, which is why we start each update with a focused Safety Moment to keep best practices top of mind and ensure that everyone goes home safely, every day. Here's our update for September 2025!

Safety Moment

Respect the Pressure — Portable Air Tools & Hose Safety

Portable air tools and flexible hoses are workhorses on many job sites, but they can also be sources of serious safety risks if ignored. Over-pressurized hoses, worn or damaged fittings, or using tools beyond their rated pressure can lead to hose bursts or tool failure. In addition:

• Always inspect hoses before use; replace any that show cracks, bulges, or kinks.

• Keep hose ends away from yourself and coworkers; a burst line is explosive.

• Use proper clamps and fittings rated for the system's psi.

• Never use quick-blow attachments or cleaning with compressed air unless approved, and always wear safety goggles and hearing protection.

Safety is #1. A few minutes of inspection and proper use can prevent injuries and keep uptime steady.

Maintenance Tips & Best Practices

Inspect Portable Tools & Hoses Monthly

Don’t wait for visible damage. A small failure in a hose or coupling under pressure can become a major safety hazard.

Document Replacement Pressure Specs

Keep pressure ratings of hoses, fittings, and tools readily visible in toolboxes or job site boards to avoid overpressure use.

Review Oil-Free vs Oil-Injected Needs

If your process involves food, pharma, electronics, or any regulatory audit, understand whether oil-free is required or if good filtration with oil-injected will suffice, often a cost trade-off.

Technology & Innovation Updates

Oil-Free Centrifugal Compressor with Aero-Lift Bearings Wins R&D 100 Award

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and Copeland unveiled an oil-free centrifugal compressor using Aero-lift™ bearing technology, which effectively “self-levitates,” eliminating traditional oil-lubricated bearings or magnetic bearing systems. It was selected among the top 100 most significant innovations of 2025 by R&D World magazine. The design yields ~10% higher full-load efficiency in air-cooled applications, flexible architecture, and compatibility with lower-GWP refrigerants.
Source: EurekAlert! / SwRI press release (3 Sep 2025)

CATAGEN’s ClimaHtech Hydrogen Compressor Launched at GasTech

At GasTech 2025, CATAGEN unveiled its ClimaHtech hydrogen compressor platform (static and mobile). It employs a hybrid liquid-piston compression system (no diaphragms or conventional pistons), capturing and rejecting heat during compression. The design claims ~28% energy savings over traditional mechanical equivalents. Though hydrogen-focused, this technology could influence wider trends in high-efficiency, low-part-count compression that may cross-pollinate to air/gas compressor designs.
Source: GasTech press release (September 2025)

Industry & Market Insights

Market & Expansion News

Kaishan Compressor USA Expands in Alabama
On September 9, Kaishan Compressor USA announced the completion of an $11 million expansion at its Loxley, Alabama facility. The expansion includes enlarging production and testing capacity for the oil-free product line, boosting aftermarket support, enhancing R&D and quality control efforts, and adding more than 50 new jobs over the next five years. Newswire

Mobile Fleet Insights from VMAC’s 2025 Report
The “State of the Mobile Compressed Air Industry Report” from VMAC reveals key trends:

• 77% of service vehicles are under ten years old, up from last year. Lift and Access+1
• Most users continue to prefer rotary screw compressors for mobile work due to their efficiency, airflow, and reliability. VMAC+1
• Electric vehicle adoption remains limited by range, charging infrastructure, and charge times — many companies still rely on traditional fuel-oriented compressor setups. Lift and Access+1

Industry Data Snapshot

• The U.S. Air & Gas Compressor Manufacturing sector — per IBISWorld (latest as of August 2025) — is projected at USD $9.8B in revenue for 2025. IBISWorld

• Key trends include rising demand in oil-free compressors (especially in food, pharma, and regulated environments), increased interest in systems with better energy efficiency (like VSDs), and pressure from regulatory and supply-chain challenges.

Events & Training

ICDA Meeting & Trade Show (Oct 6–8, 2025 – Indian Wells, CA)

The Independent Compressor Distributor Association (ICDA) annual meeting and trade show gathers distributors, OEMs, and service providers for networking and training. It’s designed to share best practices, highlight supplier updates, and strengthen relationships across the distribution channel of industrial compressors and related equipment.

Best Practices EXPO & Conference (Oct 21–23, 2025 – Kansas City, MO)

The industry’s leading event dedicated to on-site utilities (compressed air, vacuum, blower, cooling, and chiller systems). The conference features technical workshops, case studies, and training sessions from experts, plus an exhibit hall of technology providers. Attendees gain hands-on insight into energy efficiency, system reliability, and safety improvements.

Staying informed and proactive keeps our teams, facilities, and customers running safely and efficiently. From safety reminders to technology advancements and industry updates, our goal is to keep you equipped with the knowledge you need to succeed. If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in future updates, or a success story worth sharing, let us know, because continuous improvement starts with open communication and shared insights.