In The News

Cummins sees 6% fuel economy gain

Cummins is achieving a 6 percent improvement in fuel economy in its 2010 engine compared with 2007 technology, Steve Charlton, vice president and chief technical officer of engine business, said March 29 in Louisville, Ky.

Charlton credited the fuel economy improvement to optimized combustion. "Using our extensive bank of real-world data from customer field units and by working closely with our customers, we have been able to deliver significant calibration improvements that positively impact both fuel consumption and Diesel Exhaust Fluid consumption,” he said. “We know that many of our customers will realize even better than a 6 percent improvement. The range of improvement will vary depending on the customer’s actual load factors and duty cycles.”

Jeff Jones, VP of sales and marketing communications, said the company’s PowerSpec software tool makes it possible to configure engine features and parameters for better fuel economy. PowerSpec includes a gearing calculator, feature/parameter settings, fault code management and trip information. “PowerSpec offers Cummins customers the ability to maximize fuel economy and enable performance features to best meet their operations’ needs," he said.

The company also announced the launch of Cummins Care, an enhanced customer assistance program providing 24/7 response. The new program is the latest addition to the operation located at the new Cummins Customer Support Center in Nashville, Tenn. Cummins employs 110 customer service specialists at the 25,000-square-foot facility.

Tom Linebarger, president and chief operating officer, reviewed the company's strategy for moving toward vertical integration. "A lot of folks used to ask, 'How will you survive vertical integration?' Well, look where Cummins is,” he said. “We are in a stronger position than five years ago.”

He said the company's strategy includes selling components to customers in any market to operate more efficiently and economically. The strategy includes developing technology in the United States, Cummins' largest market, and then leveraging those advantages in other countries, such as China. This strategy also works in reverse by developing technologies in foreign markets and adapting aspects of those cost-effective designs back into the U.S. market.

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