A closer look at Columbus Engine Plant’s sustainability measures

Over the years, the Columbus Engine Plant (CEP) has become home to the manufacturing, research and development of multiple Cummins Inc products. From battery packs and electric driveline components to heavy duty machining of heads and blocks for the X15 engine, the plant tackles it all. It’s become home to the Light Duty Tech Center (LDTC) for research and development for light, medium and heavy-duty engines, Cummins Inc Turbo Technologies, and the Historic Restoration Center (HRC).

With so many different streams of production, when it comes to sustainability, the Columbus Engine Plant aims for continuous improvement. Dave Wehrkamp, the plant's former Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) leader, says the plant is always looking for ways to improve its sustainability efforts. They ask questions like "What items in the facility are top energy users?" or “How can we reduce the impact of machinery while maintaining efficiency?”

Leveraging community partnerships for sustainability

One way the plant has focused on its environmental impact is through its partnership with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). The program aims to protect human health and the environment while implementing federal and state regulations. Columbus Engine Plant is part of IDEM’s Partners for Pollution Prevention and Environmental Stewardship programs.

The Partners for Pollution Prevention Program is a forum where Indiana businesses, nonprofits and government agencies work together to establish pollution prevention policies. Through the program, the plant learns valuable sustainability and pollution reduction strategies, shares insights and stays informed on the latest pollution reduction technologies. As part of the Pollution Prevention Program, Columbus Engine Plant:

• Helps employees understand their role in executing pollution prevention goals
• Incorporates pollution prevention planning when creating new products or services
• Creates an outreach program for promoting and supporting pollution prevention efforts
• Makes waste reduction and pollution prevention resources available to members of the community

Columbus Engine Plant is also one of 51 businesses in IDEM’s Environmental Stewardship Program. This program recognized Indiana businesses that go above and beyond current environmental regulations. Businesses that qualify for the program are those that consistently look for ways to reduce waste, improve efficiency and shrink their environmental impact.

Marching towards a sustainable future with Planet 2050

Columbus Engine Plant has initiated a variety of sustainability efforts to complement these external programs, as well as the key goals included in Cummins’ Planet 2050 strategy. Planet 2050 is a long-term strategy aimed at addressing climate change and air emissions, using natural resources sustainably and forming partnerships to ensure Cummins leaves a near-zero environmental footprint in its communities.

One of the ways CEP reduces its environmental impact is through "just-do-it" projects. These include lowering the shop air pressure to installing LED lights with motion and sensors to decrease energy use. These small changes can make a big impact over time.

The plant also focuses on the three R’s of waste management: reduce, reuse and recycle. According to Wehrkamp, the most important “R” for sustainable manufacturing is to reduce. Tons of waste accumulate from the packaging of incoming parts. Wehrkamp says the plant is always looking for ways to reduce packaging while upholding the safety of manufacturing parts. The plan reuses wood from its packaging by grinding it into mulch for landscaping or burning it into fuel. 

For more information on how Cummins partners for progress on climate change, click here. Learn more about Planet 2050 and how Cummins is working toward its long-term environmental goals.