ELGi Unveils Evolved AB Series Oil-Free Screw Air Compressors at drinktec India 2026

The upgraded AB Series combines ISO 8573 Class 0 oil-free compressed air, improved energy efficiency, closed-loop water management and intelligent monitoring for quality-critical industries.

Elgi Equipments Limited unveiled the next evolution of its AB Series Oil-Free Screw Air Compressors at drinktec India 2026 in Mumbai on 28 October 2026. Under the theme “Better Efficiency. Better Planet.”, the evolved range focuses on reducing energy consumption, improving lifecycle economics and optimising resource utilisation through engineering improvements and integrated monitoring technologies.

ELGi Showcases Evolved AB Series at drinktec India 2026

Mumbai, India, 28 October 2026 – Elgi Equipments Limited, a global air compressor manufacturer, introduced the next evolution of its AB Series Oil-Free Screw Air Compressors at drinktec India 2026, being held from 28–30 October at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai.

The evolved AB Series is built around the principle that improved industrial efficiency and responsible resource utilisation are interconnected. The company's approach focuses on helping customers produce the compressed air they need while using energy and operating resources more effectively, supporting reliable production and improving lifecycle economics.

The environmental aspect of the approach centres on closed-loop water management, efficient energy use, long-life components and technologies designed to make better use of resources throughout the compressor lifecycle.

ELGi summarises this approach as:

Better Engineering → Better Efficiency → Better Resource Utilisation → Better Planet

Building on a Legacy of Engineering Innovation

The latest AB Series development builds on ELGi's focus on differentiated compressed-air technologies.

In 2002, the company developed what it described as the world's smallest screw air compressor, demonstrating its indigenous compressor design and manufacturing capabilities. In 2019, ELGi showcased the world's smallest water-injected screw air compressor as a demonstration of its engineering and technology capabilities.

The year 2019 also marked the company's receipt of the Deming Prize for excellence in Total Quality Management. ELGi became the first globally established industrial air compressor manufacturer outside Japan to receive the recognition in over six decades.

More recently, the company introduced its patented Demand=Match System, designed to match compressed-air delivery intelligently with changing plant demand. The system aims to reduce unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining stable operation.

Seven years after the global introduction of the AB Series, ELGi is bringing these developments together under the theme “Better Efficiency. Better Planet.”

“The AB Series has evolved through continuous engineering improvement. Over the years, we have progressively improved motor performance, airend efficiency and overall package design, while strengthening compressor control and remote monitoring. For customers, the outcome is straightforward - Class 0 oil-free compressed air delivered with greater efficiency, smarter resource management and better visibility over operation. ‘Better Efficiency. Better Planet.’ captures this evolution and reflects our belief that responsible industrial performance begins with better engineering,” said Vikas, President & Head - Global Product Management, Elgi Equipments Limited.

Improved Efficiency and Lifecycle Economics

Since its introduction in 2019, the AB Series has undergone incremental improvements to its motor, airend and overall package design, supported by intelligent compressor management and connected monitoring.

Under ELGi's stated comparison conditions, the AB Series demonstrates 5–6% better Specific Power Consumption (SPC), helping reduce the energy required to produce compressed air at the defined operating point.

The company's comparative assessment also indicates a potential lifecycle-cost benefit of up to 13% over a 40,000-hour lifecycle assessment. The comparison considers acquisition, electricity and maintenance costs under the stated assumptions.

The evolved series incorporates the following features:

• ELGi Motor: An indigenously developed motor optimised for efficient and reliable performance across power ranges and operating conditions.
• Neuron 4 Controller: An advanced controller designed to support reliable compressor operation, sequencing and system management.
• Air~Alert: ELGi's IoT-enabled remote-monitoring solution, providing visibility into operating conditions, performance and maintenance requirements.
• Five-year warranty: Coverage on key AB Series components, subject to applicable warranty terms and conditions.

For manufacturers operating continuous and quality-critical processes, these features are designed to support energy utilisation, operating visibility, reliability and lifecycle economics.

Closed-Loop Water Management Supports Resource Utilisation

The AB Series uses ELGi's closed-loop water-injected compression technology, which uses water instead of oil within the compression chamber while delivering ISO 8573 Class 0 oil-free compressed air.

Water used during compression is circulated within the system, while condensate is used for automatic replenishment. According to ELGi, this arrangement avoids dependence on a continuous open-loop water supply and eliminates the need for an external reverse osmosis (RO) system and external water pump associated with the compressor's closed-loop water circuit.

The design is intended to improve water utilisation while reducing additional water-treatment infrastructure, associated maintenance requirements and auxiliary power consumption.

Combined with improved energy efficiency, intelligent operation and long-life component design, the closed-loop architecture reflects ELGi's approach of addressing environmental responsibility through engineering and resource management.

“For food, beverage and dairy manufacturers, Better Efficiency and Better Planet are increasingly part of the same business conversation. Customers need uncompromised compressed-air quality and dependable production, but they are also looking closely at energy consumption, water use, uptime and the cost of keeping their plants running over the life of the equipment. The AB Series brings these priorities together - helping customers manufacture reliably and efficiently while making better use of the resources required to do so,” said Bhavesh Karia, Executive President – ISAAME (India, South Asia, Africa and the Middle East) & SEA (South East Asia), Elgi Equipments Limited.

India's Food and Beverage Industry Provides a Growing Market

ELGi is showcasing the AB Series amid projected growth in several industries where compressed air is used in production, processing, packaging and utility operations.

The industry estimates cited by the company include:

• Food processing: India's food-processing market was valued at approximately US$382 billion in FY25 and is projected to reach about US$689 billion by FY34.
• Dairy: The Indian dairy market was estimated at approximately US$246.5 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach around US$659.8 billion by 2034.
• Beer: India's beer market was valued at approximately US$7.8 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach approximately US$15.1 billion by 2030.

The company attributes these projections to the expansion of India's processing ecosystem, its domestic dairy production base and the growth of value-added processing.

As these industries expand, manufacturers face the challenge of balancing product quality and food safety with production continuity, energy efficiency, resource utilisation and operating costs. drinktec India, which brings together the beverage, dairy and liquid-food industries, provides a platform for ELGi to present the evolved AB Series to these sectors.

The market estimates referenced by the company are based on sources cited in its supporting industry analysis, including India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) and Grand View Research.

Class 0 Oil-Free Air and International Certifications

Compressed-air quality can directly affect process integrity and production reliability in food and beverage manufacturing. The AB Series delivers ISO 8573 Class 0 oil-free compressed air for applications where oil contamination from the compression process cannot be accepted.

The AB platform and ELGi's manufacturing and management systems are supported by several internationally recognised certifications and regulatory requirements, including:

• ISO 8573 Class 0 certification: Supports oil-free compressed-air purity requirements for critical applications.
• CE and UL certifications: Support internationally recognised safety and electrical requirements.
• CRN and DOSH certifications: Address applicable country-specific regulatory requirements.
• ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System certification: Applies to Elgi Equipments Limited and reinforces the company's systems and processes supporting customers across the food chain.

The AB Series also incorporates material-selection and engineering measures intended to support air quality, equipment durability and reliable operation in demanding applications.

Product Range Covers Multiple Industrial Applications

The AB Series is available across a power range of 11–110 kW / 15–150 hp. Its Free Air Delivery ranges from 29–560 cfm / 0.82–15.85 m³/min, with operating pressures of 4.5–12 bar / 65–174 psi.

In addition to food and beverage manufacturing, the system serves applications in dairy, breweries, bakeries, confectionery, pharmaceuticals, electronics, automotive, power, metals, oil and gas, and textiles. These industries require compressed-air quality, reliability and efficient operation.

The evolved AB Series will be available across ELGi markets globally through the company's established sales and service network.

From “Oil Free. Disrupted.” to “Better Efficiency. Better Planet.”

When ELGi introduced the AB Series globally in 2019, the theme “Oil Free. Disrupted.” reflected its ambition to challenge established approaches to oil-free compression.

Seven years later, the company is positioning the evolved platform around the wider question of how Class 0 oil-free compressed air can be produced efficiently, reliably and responsibly throughout the equipment lifecycle.

The updated approach brings together engineering improvements, energy efficiency, water management and resource utilisation under the theme:

Better Engineering → Better Efficiency → Better Resource Utilisation → Better Planet

AB Series. Better Efficiency. Better Planet.