The early years
Founded in 1873 as Atlas Engineering, manufacturing railway locomotives and rolling stock, we came to  the UK in 1919. By then, the name had changed to Atlas Diesel and nationwide branches were quickly set up to sell the Atlas Polar diesel engines. However, the manufacture of pneumatic power tools was already established in the headquarters in Stockholm.  
 
Portable compressor factory
In 1939 new premises were built in Wembley and manufacture of portable compressors started. These were to be used in construction of defence fortifications such as airfields. By 1945 the manufacture of paving breakers began, resulting in extensions to the Wembley factory. 

Birth of Atlas Copco name
In 1956 the parent company bought Arpic Engineering (a Belgian compressor manufacturer), which also had a factory in Glasgow. In the same year the name changed to Atlas Copco (derived from “Compagnie Pneumatique Commerciale”). The diesel engine side of the business was sold and emphasis was on the manufacture and sale of compressed air products and the development of the already highly-successful pneumatic mining and rock drilling equipment.

Move to Hemel Hempstead
By the late 1950's the London and Glasgow production sites had been combined and moved to one sales and manufacturing site in the New Town of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. In 1972 Atlas Copco transferred its sales operations to a new 85,000 sq. foot premises in Swallowdale Lane, Hemel Hempstead. The following year the first monthly turnover exceeding £1 million was recorded and new buildings were opened on this site in the late 1980's

Setting up of the three Business Areas
The UK Sales Company divisionalised in 1988 into the three units which still operate today: Atlas Copco Compressors Ltd, Atlas Copco Tools Ltd and Atlas Copco Construction & Mining Ltd, to focus more closely on its customer segments. 

Recent developments 
Over the last 20 years these three divisional Customer Centres have seen growth in all areas of their businesses, both by acquisition and by development into new products and markets.

Compressed air has seen energy saving products such as Variable Speed Drive compressors and air audits as well as new equipment to produce the finest quality of pure, dry and oil-free air. The achievement of ISO Class "0" for oil-free air, in 2006, was a major "first" for Atlas Copco.

An Engineering Centre with over 20 years' experience, specialising in the manufacture of engineered skid-packages which were first developed for use in the North Sea but are now in demand by oil and gas installations world-wide as well as other specialist applications.

In industrial tools there has been considerable development in the specialist supply of assembly systems for use in such industries as motor vehicles and aerospace where automated production has become increasingly important.

The construction and mining business has seen particular growth in hydraulics as well as traditional pneumatics, with the increasing demand for multi-purpose hammers suited to the expanding UK construction industry.

The combined businesses now see Atlas Copco as the pre-dominant leader in all of its core product areas of compressed air, industrial tools and construction and mining.