Deeply committed to the future: Advancing sustainability in the mining industry
Cummins and Komatsu share a vision of a cleaner mining industry
The strategic global partnership between Cummins and Komatsu, the seeds of which were first sown as far back as 1961, goes from strength to strength.
With super-reliable high horsepower Cummins diesel engines at their heart, Komatsu’s famously robust haul trucks are working relentlessly in mining and construction operations in every corner of the world.
They are supported by a Cummins-owned distribution network and Cummins technical specialists based close to the action, sometimes embedded in the actual operation.
As both companies increasingly recognise the need to reduce their environmental impact and develop innovative solutions for a low-carbon future – a mission outlined in Cummins’ bold Destination Zero strategy – they are working harder than ever to advance sustainability in the mining industry.
Critical to the success of the Cummins-Komatsu relationship has been their shared ‘one team’ philosophy where the two business are aligned in their production strategies and maintenance schedules.
“We are plugged into each other’s model strategies, so we always know what’s coming,” says Goran Galic, DBU Europe Mining Leader at Cummins and a pivotal figure in the relationship with Komatsu in Europe.
“We also share data on equipment health and performance data over common infrastructure which allows us to develop joint analytics and insights.”
Komatsu uses several Cummins engines in its mining trucks, particularly its larger haul trucks. All are compliant with the Tier 4 emission standard but there is a clear ambition to transition to cleaner and greener energy.
The predominant engine in the Komatsu line-up is the legendary 60-litre Cummins QSK60 which powers the Komatsu 830E and 930E with a payload capacity of around 220 tonnes, and the mammoth Komatsu WE2350, the world’s biggest wheel loader, with a capacity of up to 360 tonnes.
The 78-litre V18 Cummins QSK78, delivering a colossal 3,500 horsepower, powers Komatsu’s 930E-4SE (290 tonnes).
With the opening of Cummins’ Master Rebuild Centre in Europe – the latest in a global network of 15 such centres and the first of its kind in the region – Komatsu customers can now look forward to the greater cost benefits that will flow from being able to extend the life of their hard-working high-horsepower Cummins engines.
By allowing customers to keep their equipment working for longer, Cummins is, in effect, giving them greater control over how they navigate their energy transition pathway.
The engine remanufacturing is planned exactly to dovetail with any work Komatsu needs to carry out on the chassis and the rest of the truck, so the customer never has to worry about double downtime.
Goran Galic says the needs of the mining sector and of Komatsu in particular were uppermost in Cummins’ thoughts when the idea of a European Master Rebuild Centre was conceived back in 2016.
“These were the early days of Komatsu and its mining ambitions. They had just signed their first big deal with Boliden to operate in its mines in northern Sweden and across the border in Finland.
“We gave them our commitment that Cummins would support Komatsu’s trucks for the lifetime of the engine and assured them we would be extending the lifecycle of those engines through high-quality engine remanufacturing of Cummins engines.”
In 2018, Cummins took the strategic decision to open offer dedicated on-site support to Komatsu mining operations in Finland.
“It was a major investment and a bold move because the ideal scenario for us is to work with independent dealers,” said Goran.
“But in this instance, and given the strategic nature of our relationship with Komatsu, we felt it was the right way to go; to offer an undiluted focus on them and mining equipment.”
Fast-forward to the present time and those mighty yellow-painted Komatsu haul truck engines are being lined up to undergo the six-stage remanufacturing process at the ISO 9001-certified European Master Rebuild Centre (MRC).
Time is money – and that’s where remanufacturing scores
Cummins’ Master Rebuild Centres boast the very latest equipment for remanufacturing and employs the same quality control processes as the factories producing new Cummins engines. There are no fewer than 150 checks in the reassembly part of the operation.
A full one-year/unlimited hours warranty is offered on the work carried out by Cummins-certified technicians.
“When you buy mining equipment, you are buying it for the long term,” says Goran Galic. “A haul truck might need to keep working for 80 – 90,000 hours, and you don’t want to be buying new engines when there is the possibility of extending the life of the original unit.
“Now in Europe, we can say every mining engine can have a minimum three lives: factory original plus at least two ‘zero hour’ rebuilds.
“For Komatsu and our other high horsepower customers – those operating engines of 19 litres and above – we are committed to rebuilding engines to the highest possible standard in the shortest possible time.
“In mining, everything is cost per tonne. If a truck is standing still, it's losing money. The overall turnround target for a Cummins Komatsu engine to be remanufactured and installed is 60 days for scheduled rebuilds and preordered parts. For our part at the MRC, the entire rebuild process will take seven working weeks, or 35 days.”
Goran says remanufacturing works out at around 80% of the cost of ordering a new replacement engine, and by setting up a service exchange agreement, machinery can be back in business in days rather than months, translating into a significant cost saving.
What’s more, every remanufactured engine is upgraded to the latest specification. “That includes any supersession of part numbers and any improvement in fuel technology,” says Goran.
“The engine will move with the latest technology, it will stay evergreen.” As part of the agreement, Cummins will also update the aftertreatment system.
The ability to remanufacture engines bolsters Cummins’ commitment to progressing its environmental sustainability goals and to advancing the circular economy. Remanufacturing promotes the reuse and recycling of materials and addresses environmental challenges like climate change.
Partners in the truest sense
The foundation for the Cummins-Komatsu partnership was laid in 1961 with a technology license agreement.
This evolved into joint ventures like Industrial Power Alliance (focusing on engine research and development in Japan) and Komatsu Cummins Engine Co. (manufacturing engines).
The partners have been customer and supplier to each other for decades, with Cummins engines powering many of Komatsu’s most popular mining and construction machines.
- In 2016, the partners formalised a global corporate responsibility partnership to focus on education and social development initiatives
- In June 2022, Cummins and Komatsu announced a formal agreement specifically for zero-emission mining trucks.
- In 2025, Cummins will unveil PrevenTech© Mining version 2.0, a significantly improved real-time digital monitoring and reporting system that provides an early warning of potential equipment operating issues. It is invaluable in helping to plan maintenance and service, ensuring machinery is offline as little as possible.
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