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

AWARD
WINNER
BEST TECHNICAL PROJECT
This effort stalled, however, when the
foundation needed engineering expertise
to increase the size and sophistication of
OTHER 2011 ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE Winners
Light the Future Chengdu, China
RESHAPING RURAL INDIA
Pune, India
the structures. Using analysis-led design
and experimental testing, the CIT offered
its engineering skills and launched a
This three-phased project raised awareness about energy efficiency and installed energy saving lighting in two communities.
Elizabethtown Cleanup Elizabethtown, Ind.
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Besides being the preferred dinner for
pandas, bamboo is the ecologically
preferable source for high-end flooring,
soft towels and now buildings stronger
than steel.
Employees at Cummins Research and
Technology India (CRTI) in Pune put their
engineering skills to work so people in rural
areas could have a lower cost alternative
for building materials.
In India, 72 percent of the population
lives in rural areas where steel is the most
commonly used construction material.
In order to provide a reliable and costeffective
alternative, the CRTI India
Community Involvement Team (CIT),
led by Rajesh Kale, turned to bamboo.
“Bamboo has a higher tensile strength-toweight
ratio than steel, is widely available
across India, and is resistant to moisture
and rotting,” Rajesh said. “Additionally,
bamboo is one of the fastest-growing
plants on earth.”
Community Impact Six Sigma project
to develop bamboo structures that could
replace steel structures, thus providing an
eco-friendly and cost-effective option for
rural, small-scale industries.
Bamboo wasn’t always easy for the team to
work with. There are more than 200 species
of bamboo in India alone. The diameter and
thickness vary from one species to another,
as well as within a single bamboo shoot.
The structural properties also were not
consistent, and no data existed around
the creation of bamboo joints.
Despite these challenges, the team
developed a modular design that required
no on-site machining and was easy to
transport to rural areas. This design
led to a 65 percent cost reduction over
steel structures and resulted in savings
of 900 kg of CO 2
emissions per structure.
Now, instead of only using bamboo to
create small poultry sheds, it can be used
to build homes, schools, greenhouses,
grain storage units, fencing and more.
This initiative revolved around a large scale cleanup of a small community facing many challenges.
Volunteers collected 16 dumpsters containing 47 tons of trash and 90 tires for recycling.
Landfill Electrification Chongqing, China
Cummins engineers retrofitted a Cummins engine to run on landfill biogas to generate electricity for the community.
The project decreased greenhouse gas emissions and provided a sustainable solution to growing energy demands.
La Bour Park Project Elkhart, Ind.
Cummins employees helped redevelop a Brownfield site so nearby residents could safely grow fruits and vegetables.
The project included a picnic area and a walking trail.
Green School Project Kent, United Kingdom
This initiative worked with students from two local schools to develop a sustainable energy strategy to reduce
their school’s environmental footprint.
Plastic Bag Project Pune, India
Cummins India employees created a social enterprise that turns recycled newspapers into paper bags with
the goal of ridding the community of plastic bags that litter roadways and landfills. Disabled residents from
four community partners participated in the paper bag production.
PVC Cap Recycling Janesville, Wis.
Employees found a creative way to reuse PVC caps used at the plant. The project provided an employment
opportunity for disabled residents, who sorted the PVC caps before they were returned to the plant.
Reducing Water Pollution During Festival Time Pune, India
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
The CIT partnered with the foundation
arm of a local pharmaceutical company,
Dr. Reddy’s Foundation. The foundation has
been working to improve the livelihoods of
people living in rural areas by creating small
poultry sheds made of bamboo and then
training local carpenters on the process.
The team took the design to two already
existing Corporate Responsibility initiatives
around Cummins’ Megasite in Phaltan,
India, where the structures are now in
place: a school cafeteria at the ITI-Phaltan
school and the cow and poultry sheds at
the village of Nandal, part of the Megasite’s
Model Village program.
This initiative raised awareness and implemented eco-friendly alternatives to submerging statues during festival times.
The project prevented 26 tons of waste, 3.2 tons of dry waste, and more than 18,000 idols from polluting a river.
Sans Souci Recycling Columbus, Ind.
Employees used their knowledge of effective work flow to improve the way a nonprofit processes donated items.
The result was a significant reduction in waste.
Tox-Away Day Columbus, Ind.
Cummins employees worked with local nonprofits and area business partners to sponsor a day when residents
could safely dispose of household hazardous waste. More than 63 tons of waste was diverted from landfill and sewers.
66 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2011–2012 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2011–2012 67