Practicing Environmental Stewardship Around The World

Rebuilding high horsepower engines is an inherently “green” activity, potentially tripling the life of an engine. The Distribution Business Unit’s High Horsepower Master Rebuild Center in Dubai, however, doesn’t stop there in practicing good environmental stewardship.

Cummins built its Middle East headquarters in Dubai in 2010 and achieved LEED gold certification in 2012 when it finished the Rebuild Center next door – the two are connected by a bridge. Among its many environmentally sensitive features, the complex has its own wastewater treatment plant where oil, fuel and water are separated and water is re-circulated for engine washing.

“We knew green buildings were important to Cummins and to the environmental challenges of Dubai, and we wanted to make our new rebuild center a model of resource conservation in the free zone,” said Rachid Ouenniche, Managing Director of Cummins Distribution Business in the Middle East.

The new complex is just one example of how Cummins Distribution Business, which sells and distributes Cummins-branded products and services all over the world, is working to shrink its environmental footprint.

In Sydney, Australia, for example, the Wetherill Park distributor won the best energy efficiency project in Cummins’ annual environmental awards competition in 2012. The distributor reduced its electricity use by 44 percent and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 47 percent. The distributor implemented facility-wide improvements including a solar array with LCD displays to keep employees informed of the electricity generated each day as well as cumulative totals.

New lighting not only saved the site money it increased employee satisfaction as the lighting levels increased 70 percent with less reliance on portable lighting.

In Mt. Gambier, Australia, Distribution employees used the opportunity to replace a nearly 30-year old facility to develop a new branch that would reduce energy and water consumption, prevent pollution and enhance safety.

The new facility features a solar-powered hot water heater, rainwater harvesting, an environmentally friendly septic system, a system to capture any spills that might occur on the site and safer storage of shop oils and coolants. It also has improved lighting and a better waste separation and handling facility. Electricity use and C02 emissions have been reduced by 83 percent and total water use has dropped 52 percent.

After Cummins increased its ownership in Cummins Central Power in the United States, which covers Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois, the distributor wasted no time in joining the Company’s energy efficiency efforts. It has implemented lighting upgrades in five branches using Cummins Central Energy Efficiency Fund, increasing employee engagement and satisfaction significantly.

Cummins environmental leaders are encouraged by what’s happening because they believe it demonstrates that the Company’s mission “that everything we do leads to a cleaner, healthier, safer environment” is being embraced by Cummins employees around the world.

That’s certainly true at the complex in Dubai. It is one of the few sites in the sprawling Jebel Ali free trade zone that has received gold certification from LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), one of the most recognized seals of approval for energy efficient buildings in the world.

The Cummins complex includes such things as a delivery door that quickly opens and closes to keep cooler air from escaping, reducing energy consumption, and an automated parts and component cleaning tank with a reservoir that enables the cleaning chemical and rinse water to be used over and over. Water conservation is a key issue, according to Ouenniche.

“Dubai is a very water stressed area,” he said, “and we often say that water here is even more precious than oil.”