ATLAS COPCO RDI FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTIVITY

The project includes a selection of the EU-based Promoter's investments in Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) within the (i) Compressors Technique, (ii) Industrial Technique and (iii) Vacuum Technique business areas over the period 2023-26.

The project aims at developing enhanced and sustainable product solutions, which allow users to increase the levels of productivity, energy efficiency, safety and ergonomics as well as to reduce the environmental impact of their production processes.

The RDI activities included in the financed project cover a wide range of developments in the fields of compressors, air treatment systems, vacuum solutions, industrial power tools and assembly systems, machine vision, and power and flow solutions. These RDI activities generate significant positive knowledge, technology and environmental externalities, through the creation of innovative processes, products or services and through skills development and upgrading.

The project contributes to the Bank's "Innovation, Digital and Human Capital" Public Policy Goal, "Research, Innovation and Digital" sub-objective.

The financing of this project addresses the failure in financial markets for RDI, arising from limited access and higher cost of financing because of factors such as information asymmetries (linked to, and intensified by, the inherent uncertainty of RDI activities, leading to high screening and monitoring costs). The current project would further strengthen the promoter's capacity for its long-term oriented innovations in relevant technologies for sustainability.

The proposed loan will contribute to the diversification of the borrower's financing sources and thus strengthen the overall financing position of the company. The EIB loan's flexible features will improve the promoter's cash flow and liquidity management. Furthermore, the Bank's significant support to the promoter will provide positive signalling effect to the capital markets. Hence, facilitating access for further potential financing needs.

The project consist of RDI activities that are not listed in any of the Annexes of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU amended by the Directive 2014/52/EU. The environmental details will be verified during the project appraisal.

The promoter has been assessed by the EIB as being a private company not being subject to EU rules on public procurement or concessions. However, if at the project appraisal, the EIB were to conclude that the promoter is subject to the EU public procurement legislation then the Bank would duly inform the Commission Services and would require the promoter to apply those rules.