ABOUT THIS REPORT The information in this report is ... - Cummins

Helen Hutchings,
Darlington’s Health, Safety
and Environment Manager,
stands next to one of the
Profitable and green after 10 years
recycling bins around
the plant. The facility has
reached “zero landfill”
status in part because
Ten years in the making, Cummins
Emission Solutions is demonstrating
Cummins leaders decided to embrace
that trend rather than fight it, figuring
of its major emphasis
on recycling.
that a company can be green and
the Company’s technological leadership
profitable at the same time.
Sales for the exhaust aftertreatment
could be a competitive advantage.
Cummins Emission Solutions began
Zero can be a big number
ENVIRONMENT
Cummins Emission Solutions
employees in Mineral Point,
Wis. celebrate the 2011 launch
of the Off-Highway EPA Tier 4
compliant aftertreatment product
line. The ceremony also marked
a diversity milestone in the
business’ history. It was led by
two female managers – then
Off-Highway Business General
Manager Julie Furber and
Rachel Lecrone, plant manager.
maker have gone from nothing in 2002 to
$1.2 billion in 2011 while Cummins Emission
Solutions’ workforce has grown from just
11 employees to more than 1,400 today.
“This is all about green jobs,” said Srikanth
Padmanabhan, Vice President and General
Manager of Cummins Emission Solutions.
Early on, the emphasis at the business
was on noise reduction and eliminating
the clatter associated with diesel engines.
Governments around the world, however,
began clamping down on the amount of
pollution engines were allowed to emit.
to take off and with tougher emissions
standards scheduled to take effect
in the coming years in countries like
China, India and Russia, sales are
only expected to grow.
Padmanabhan says attracting a highly
skilled workforce is now his chief concern.
Ten years ago, a Cummins engineer could
simply add a filter to make an exhaust
system compliant.
To meet today’s more stringent regulations,
multiple devices are necessary to reduce
emissions while providing engine operators
the power they need to succeed.
Since January 2011, the Cummins Darlington (U.K.)
Engine Plant hasn’t sent any waste to a landfill.
That’s nothing in more than 16 months. Zero. Nada.
And on top of that, the plant has
Color-coded recycling stations made
reduced associated annual operating
recycling very visible and easy to do at
costs by $159,000.
the plant. But not all of the plant’s materials
are the numbered plastics, glass, paper and
Darlington achieved its “zero landfill” status
other items readily recyclable. So working
by making waste reduction a plant priority,
with the plant’s supply chain was critical
and then using processes, tools and
on the journey to zero.
resources – most notably its employees
and suppliers – to provide a structured A contractor sorted and processed some
program that delivers results.
of the more difficult materials. Another
ENVIRONMENT
“The success of this project is the Cummins
Operating System in action,” said Helen
Hutchings, the plant’s Health, Safety
key supplier helped to find a recyclable
substitute for packaging material that
previously was disposed in a landfill.
and Environment Manager, referring to
Cummins’ philosophy is that simply
10 practices and approaches designated
burning waste is not a legitimate way
by the Company to improve customer
to achieve zero landfill status. The plant
satisfaction and profitability (page 11).
handled every waste material by either
“It combined a rigorous process with
employee passion to produce an important
recycling or obtaining environmental value
through burning it for energy recovery.
achievement for the plant, and more
Less than three percent of the waste
importantly, for the environment,” she said.
was burned. Darlington is the first Cummins
The plant used the established protocols
in its Environmental Management System
plant to achieve zero landfill status with
such a significant emphasis on recycling.
to make waste management a priority.
At Cummins and in Darlington, zero landfill
This designation then cascaded specific
truly means zero waste disposal. And in
resources, training and communications
that way, zero really can be a big number.
to plant employees supporting the effort.
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2011–2012 31