STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Freek Nijdam has been appointed senior executive vice president for the Rental Service business area of Atlas Copco, Stockholm, Sweden, effective February 2002. He succeeds Tom Bennett, who is retiring. (See related article on page 45.) Bennett has headed the business area since it was established.

“Following Tom's wish to retire, I have asked Freek Nijdam to take the position as business area executive for Rental Service,” said Giulio Mazzalupi, president and CEO of the Atlas Copco Group.

“As a member of Atlas Copco's executive committee, Freek has been very involved in the Rental Service development program and will therefore safeguard the continuity, characterized by the need to continue integrating the different business cultures, while improving revenues and enhancing efficiency,” Mazzalupi added.

For the past six years, Nijdam has been senior executive vice president for the construction and mining technique business area. During this period he has successfully led the business area to its highest operating profit margin ever recorded.

The rental service division consists of Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Rental Service Corp., which includes three brands: RSC, Prime Energy and Prime Industrial. Rental Service Corp. is No. 2 on the RER 100.