Cummins Inc. is spending $580 million to revamp a plant in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, to make fuel-agnostic small engines as part of its path to zero-emissions products by 2050.
The engine versions come from a base engine with many common parts. Above the head gasket, the powertrains will have different components for different fuel types. Each B6.7, X15 and new X10 will operate using a different, single fuel.
“Cummins is focused on Destination Zero and getting there as quickly as possible,” Steve Pinkston, Cummins Rocky Mount engine plant manager, said in a news release. “This investment is not just about engines. It’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to the community and our vision for a sustainable and impactful future.”
In December, Columbus, Indiana-based Cummins agreed to pay a $1.675 billion civil fine related to emissions defeat devices on engines for Ram pickup trucks made from 2013-2019. It was the second-largest penalty for a Clean Air Act violation in history behind only the $2.6 billion criminal fine that Volkswagen paid in 2015.
The company invested $452 million on its Jamestown Engine Plant in April to upgrade the 998,000-square-foot facility in western New York. It is producing the first fuel-agnostic internal combustion engine platform capable of running on natural gas, hydrogen and other fuels.
Part of $1B+ investment announced in April 2023
That announcement totaled more than $1 billion and included a placeholder for Rocky Mount. Incentives from Nash County sealed the deal for the 40-year-old plant. Nash County agreed to a 50% tax abatement.
“We need engagement from federal, state, and local governments like Nash County to achieve our goals and we are grateful for their support,” Pinkson said. “When we receive engagement from local partners like this, it helps us move faster toward a more sustainable future.”
The Rocky Mount investment expects to add 80 new jobs at the plant that employs 2,000 workers. The plant produced its 5 millionth engine in May. The 1.3 million-square-foot manufacturing plant has operated since 1983. It started as a joint venture with Case named Consolidated Diesel Co. Cummins bought out Case in 2008.
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