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Flying Spares supplies parts for luxury and classic cars. Business was growing, so they moved to a bigger site with a much larger workshop. That created a problem. Their old 11kW fixed-speed compressor could not keep up. They needed a new compressed air installation, designed from scratch, ready for the day the new site opened.
Here is what Airmech built, and what it saved them. Every number in this post comes from the Flying Spares case study.
The problem: a bigger site, an underpowered system
A site move is the best time to get compressed air right. Pipework goes in before the machines do. Get it wrong and you live with the cost for years.
Flying Spares had been an Airmech customer for years. Their brief was simple. The new workshop needed clean, dry air at every bay. Energy costs had to stay under control. And everything had to work on day one. No settling-in period. No downtime.
What the compressed air installation included
Airmech designed and installed the complete system:
- An 18.5kW variable speed (VSD) screw compressor with a built-in dryer
- Two inline filters to keep the air clean for precision automotive work
- An oil water separator for environmental compliance
- An aluminium ring main with quick-release fittings
- Hose reels placed across the workshop floor
Everything was commissioned and tested before opening day. Flying Spares walked into the new site with working air from the first shift.
Why variable speed was the key choice
The old compressor was 11kW. The new one is 18.5kW. Nearly double the capacity. You would expect the energy bill to go up.
It went down.
A fixed-speed compressor runs at full power whether you need the air or not. A VSD compressor adjusts its motor speed to match real demand, minute by minute. During quiet spells it winds down. That cuts the wasted energy that fixed-speed machines burn all day.
Want to see what that could mean on your site? Try the free energy savings calculator.
The results, in real numbers
The savings showed up from day one:
- 4,322 kWh saved per year, even with nearly double the compressor capacity
- £1,729 cut from the annual energy bill
- 22,847 kWh new annual consumption for the whole system
- 14% saved on maintenance costs over five years, through a fixed-price service plan
The five-year service plan works on actual run hours, not a fixed calendar. Flying Spares gets digital records, scheduled reminders, and one point of contact for everything from routine servicing to emergencies.
Here is how Andy Thwaites, TSD Manager at Flying Spares, put it:
“The expertise and tailored solutions from Airmech were crucial during our site expansion. Their advanced compressed air system not only enhances our operational efficiency but also offers significant energy savings.”
What this means if you are moving or expanding
Three lessons from this project:
- Plan air early. Design the compressed air installation with the site layout, not after it. Ring mains and drops cost far less to install before production starts.
- Size for the future, pay for the present. A bigger VSD compressor can cost less to run than a smaller fixed-speed one. Capacity and efficiency are not a trade-off any more.
- Bundle the servicing. A run-hours service plan locked in a 14% maintenance saving over five years. One partner, one number to call.
How a project like this runs
Every Airmech installation and commissioning job follows the same path:
- Survey. An engineer visits the site and measures real air demand. Not a guess. Actual tools, actual usage, actual duty cycles.
- Design. The system is sized for the work you do now, with room for the work you plan to do next. Compressor, dryer, filtration, and pipework are specified as one package.
- Install. Pipework and drops go in around your layout. On a new site, this happens before the machines arrive.
- Commission. Everything is tested under load before handover. You get working air on day one, like Flying Spares did.
Airmech has been doing this since 1980. Over 100,000 service visits. A 4.9 rating on Google. Family-owned, third generation, and still answering the phone in Nuneaton.
One partner covers the whole job. Design, install, servicing, and compliance. No gaps between suppliers, and no one to blame but us if something is wrong.
Moving site or outgrowing your compressor?
Flying Spares got more capacity, cleaner air, and a smaller energy bill from one well-designed installation. Your site could do the same.
See how we could do the same for you. Book a survey.