We asked a hand-selected list of original equipment manufacturers, independent compressed air system sales and service companies, manufacturing plants and independent system auditors to share their thoughts, highlighting the changes they’ve seen over the past 20 years, then predicting what the next 20 years will bring.

For 20 years, Compressed Air Best Practices® Magazine has published articles focused on helping manufacturers reduce power demand, lower water consumption, and improve the performance of compressed air, cooling, blower and industrial vacuum systems. In this article, we highlight a sampling of those stories across the following industries:

• Plastics and Packaging
• Food and Beverage
• Automotive and Transportation
• Cement, Building Materials, and Mining
• Metals, Pulp, and Paper
• Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, and Research
• Wastewater Treatment
   

Efficient compressed air distribution depends on proper piping design to balance flow, pressure and velocity. This article explains how modular aluminum piping systems improve performance by reducing friction, minimizing pressure drop and maintaining laminar flow. With smooth interiors, full-bore fittings and leak-free connections, these systems help lower energy consumption and extend equipment life. A real-world case study shows how an optimized design reduced material and installation costs while maintaining performance. The result is a more adaptable, efficient and reliable compressed air network for modern industrial facilities.

In this interview, FS-Elliott CEO Everson De Campos discusses the company’s strategic direction, emphasizing innovation, sustainability and advanced manufacturing in centrifugal air compressor technology. He highlights investments in global production, engineered-to-order solutions and new product development, including the Polaris platform, as well as growing demand for oil-free compressed air in critical industries. The conversation also explores lifecycle service innovations, digital monitoring approaches and the importance of workforce and channel partner training in meeting increasingly complex customer requirements.

Compressed air system reliability relies on engineering expertise, environmental management and proactive maintenance. This article highlights how Brandon & Clark improved performance in two demanding applications: reducing failures in a dust-heavy silica mining operation through frequent preventive maintenance, and executing a complex disassembly and reassembly of a 300 hp air compressor in a confined university facility while preserving the OEM warranty. These cases show how tailored solutions and long-term service strategies enhance system reliability.