EXHIBIT 31.1

                  PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER CERTIFICATION

I, Ross J. Centanni, certify that:

1.   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Gardner Denver,
     Inc. ("Gardner Denver");

2.   Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
     to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
     such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
     covered by this report;

3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this report, fairly present in all material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows
     of Gardner Denver as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.   Gardner Denver's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
     defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for Gardner
     Denver and have:

     a)   designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
          disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
          supervision, to ensure that material information relating to
          Gardner Denver, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made
          known to us by others within those entities, particularly during
          the period in which this report is being prepared;

     b)   [Reserved]

     c)   evaluated the effectiveness of Gardner Denver's disclosure
          controls and procedures and presented in this report our
          conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
          procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report
          based on such evaluation; and

     d)   disclosed in this report any change in Gardner Denver's internal
          control over financial reporting that occurred during Gardner
          Denver's most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected,
          or is reasonably likely to materially affect, Gardner Denver's
          internal control over financial reporting; and

5.   Gardner Denver's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based
     on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial
     reporting, to Gardner Denver's auditors and the audit committee of
     Gardner Denver's Board of Directors:

     a)   all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
          or operation of internal control over financial reporting which
          are reasonably likely to adversely affect Gardner Denver's ability
          to record, process, summarize and report financial information;
          and

     b)   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
          other employees who have a significant role in Gardner Denver's
          internal control over financial reporting.

                                                 By:  /s/ Ross J. Centanni
                                                      --------------------
                                                 Ross J. Centanni
                                                 Chairman, President & CEO
August 9, 2004



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