At its sites in the UK and Ireland Atlas Copco marked its 140 year anniversary with a special celebration. Alex Bongaerts, company secretary of Atlas Copco’s UK and Ireland operations said: “It is a great occasion to create pride among employees and to make them enthusiastic about future opportunities. Our history guarantees long-term industrial experience as well as innovative products and solutions to current and new customers, to suppliers as well as to current and future employees.”
To highlight the company’s 1873 foundation, Atlas Copco’s president and CEO Ronnie Leten rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange in New York, U.S.A. The shares of Atlas Copco, the biggest industrial company by market capitalisation in Europe’s Nordic region, are listed on NASDAQ OMX in Stockholm, Sweden, where the company’s worldwide headquarters is based.
Other events around the world to mark the date included the inauguration of a new compressor manufacturing plant near Pune, India, a significant donation of £38,000 to safe drinking water projects from Atlas Copco’s Water for All organisation in the USA, and customer events around the world. Among other activities in the UK, Atlas Copco will also be donating 140 cycle helmets to local schools and colleges.
Atlas Copco’s long history is filled with technology innovations. Highlights include introducing the first light rock drills in 1905, manufacturing the first portable air compressor that same year, introducing the world´s first serial-produced hydraulic breakers in 1966, and launching new error-proof and low-energy tightening tools.