Cummins Adding $234 million Diesel Tech Center in India

Cummins Inc., the U.S.-based maker of diesels for commercial vehicles, is building its second-largest technical center outside the U.S. at a 16-acre site at outside Pune, India.

The 15 billion-rupee ($234 million) Cummins Technical Centre at Kothrud will be completed in phases over the next 3-5 years. Sandeep Sinha, chief operating officer for Cummins Group India, says the complex eventually will employ 2,500 engineers and operate more than 36 engine test cells.

The facility’s emphasis will be on affordable emission control technologies, including electric and hybrid powertrains, according to Sinha. He notes that Cummins is readying an electric vehicle platform that will debut in the U.S. in 2019.

The new Indian campus will have the ability to design, develop and deliver entire powertrain platforms globally. Sinha notes that the company’s Indian product development staff designed Cummins’ Euro 5 platforms and is working on Euro 6 systems for the Indian market.

About 20% of the company’s global technical team is based in India, where Cummins operates 21 manufacturing facilities. The supplier makes, sells and services diesels and alternative-fuel engine that displace between 2.8 and 95 liters.