Cummins constantly endeavors to improve its product performance, which is now a part of its DNA.

– Anjali Pandey

Engine Business and Components Business Leader, Cummins India

How do you rate your company’s journey so far and what do you think are the major factors contributing to your success saga in the industry?

Cummins has been in diesel engines business in India, for more than 60 years, and more than 100 years around the world. We could combine our decades of expertise with a focus on precise customer needs, to develop products that are not only robust, and dependable, but also priced optimally. This makes Cummins the preferred choice for customers in construction and infrastructure segment.

Demand for Construction equipment in India has been growing continuously on the back of increased infrastructure investments. Further production of these equipment in India is increasing as we see more OEMs entering India, existing OEMs localizing their products for Indian market and increasing exports out of India. All this supports Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives of the Government of India and thus helps create demand for locally manufactured components including powertrain.

Cummins is a leading global powertrain manufacturer and is well positioned to capture the trend of local manufacturing. Powertrain is a key component for the construction equipment. With large manufacturing footprint in India and strong relationships with most of the global construction equipment manufacturers, Cummins is providing locally manufactured powertrain to our customers and thus helping OEMs to increase local content.

With durable product performance, strong local engineering and application teams and nationwide network to support end users, Cummins has been able to maintain its leadership position in the construction equipment powertrain market.

What has been the shift in buying patterns from the end-user segment?

As compared to the construction industry a decade ago, today the end users execute projects amid stiff competition and even more stringent timelines. Therefore, they cannot afford to have any equipment downtime. They would need reliable products and aftermarket support combined with all the information about functioning equipment on their fingertips. IoT has indeed taken over the industry.   

The end customer requirement is to complete any infrastructure or construction project within time and at lower cost. Nowadays there are heavy penalties in terms of extending the project beyond the promised deadlines in most of the segment.

Hence, the customer preference is shifting from low-cost product towards a value-based product which can offer better productivity at lower total cost of operation.

Customer also looks at the after sales service and product reliability to have minimal downtime and thus improve the utilization of the equipment.

With Cummins durable product designs and strong aftermarket presence, we have seen greater acceptance of our products over the years as they help end users to deliver high performance by providing higher uptime and productivity.

Tell us about the technological trends in your range of products?

Cummins constantly endeavors to improve its product performance, which is now a part of its DNA.

As we are moving towards stringent emission norms, the product complexities are increasing in terms of additional electronics and After Treatment system.

Cummins’ objective is to offer simple solution to its customers with better performance and reliability.

Our Product range offers BSIV compliant engines with No EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) solution and Single module after treatment system.

No EGR solution eliminates some of the high failure components like EGR cooler & EGR valves which are very sensitive to the fuel quality and increases the heat rejection of the engine requiring bigger cooling system. Thus, by eliminating these components, customer can get better uptime & revenue. Eliminating EGR also helps in terms of getting better torque & power density.

Cummins BSIV engine offers better power & torque density compared to any other engine in market, thus helping in engine downsizing which results in better FE and lower space claim, thus helping the OEMs to avoid any major changes on the current range of construction equipment.

Single module ATS helps in weight and space claim reduction compared to old generation ATS system. Also, the high conversion efficiency helps in eliminating the EGR from the base engine.

On the power generation front, Cummins was the first company to introduce products that comply with CPCB II emission norms when they were introduced. A combination of advanced fuel systems and controls, along with Telematics, gives Cummins the edge in the construction industry.

What products are being showcased / launched at Excon and what will be your focus of display?

Cummins in India offers a broad portfolio of power solutions to the cater to the Construction Equipment segment. Delivering on its brand promise of dependability, Cummins also provides the best aftermarket support and has an extensive service support network that offers a complete range of service needs.

Engine and Components-

• B4.5 & B6.7 CEV BSIV engine along with Single Module After treatment system.
• B4.5 CEV BSIV provides 121 hp to 173 hp rating and is suitable for application like Soil Compactor, 14T to 20T Excavators, 3T to 3.5T Wheel Loaders, Pavers & Motor Grader applications. This engine provides best in class fluid economy as compared to 6-cylinder engines and has covered more than 18,000 hours of test cell and field validation in India.
• B6.7 is the highest selling product for Cummins globally. This engine is developed for CEV BSIV offering 173 to 260 hp ratings. This product is most suitable for Motor Grader, 5T Wheel Loaders, 25T to 35T Excavator, Crane, and Harvester applications. This engine provides best in class Performance, Reliability, and total cost of operation in this power range. In India Cummins is using B6.7 BSVI engine for On Highway applications as well and till date Cummins has sold more than 90,000 of these engines meeting advance emissions.
• Single module ATS system is a compact solution (which houses DOC, DPF and SCR in one single body) and has 50% less space claim & 30% weight savings compared to old generation switch back systems.
• All these products are locally built with >85% of parts localized in India.

Power Generation

• Cummins caters to the dynamic market needs effectively and they will be displaying their new and improved 250kVA QSB6.7 genset at EXCON. This genset comes with a full authority electronic engine and with a compact footprint that meets the latest emission norms without any after-treatment device. All the major components of the genset – the engine, alternator, control system and canopy are designed, manufactured, and tested in house.

Aftermarket Support-

• Cummins provides the best aftermarket support and has an extensive service support network that offers a complete range of service needs such as engine health checks, maintenance services, repair services, and hassle-free Cummins Warranty administration. Cummins Genuine parts ensure that your engine delivers the reliability and durability that your business requires. Cummins has introduced engine kits which are customized product bundles that suit the need of service events throughout the life cycle of the engine. These are easy to order, easy to stock, and available in quick turnaround time. Cummins offers a wide range of consumables to suit your equipment needs. These include engine filters, oil, coolant, and lubricants.
• Cummins will also display its Funnel Fuel Filters, a new heavy-duty, fast-flow filter in a funnel that separates harmful free water & contamination from gasoline, diesel, heating oil, and kerosene. This product was introduced in 2021. Additionally, Consumables, Genuine Parts, and Overhaul Kits will also be displayed.

What motivates you to participate at this Expo?

EXCON is a congregation of diverse set of people connected to the Construction equipment industry, covering equipment manufacturers, end user, financing industry, component & technology suppliers.

Participating at Excon gives us the opportunity to meet and connect with this diverse set of groups. These interactions support us to capture inputs as well as the latent needs of the users enabling us to improve our products in the long term. Various exhibits by the Industry and conferences during the Expo also helps us to stay updated with the latest trends and advancements happening across the overall eco system of the industry.

This is also a perfect opportunity for us to magnify our brand by showcasing our products and highlighting our USPs that differentiate us from the competition. We also take this as an opportunity to capture feedback of our stakeholders.

What are your expectations from Excon, especially after a period of lull due to Covid 19 pandemic?

While the Covid 19 caseloads have come down, the infections and virus has not completely gone. We wish and expect a safe expo, and trust the event organizers, CII & iCEMA, has taken adequate measures to ensure safety for all.

Amid pandemic, last year, Construction equipment industry underwent emission norm change. We are taking the opportunity during this Excon to showcase our latest range of products meeting the stringent emission standards.

Given stringent new emission norms, products have undergone significant changes. Various equipment with new powertrains are now in the market for the last one year.

In this expo, our focus would be to get the maximum inputs and understand their experience from the end users and our customers on these new products. These inputs would go in our continuous improvement activities to further strengthen our product value and performance.

Excon will be an excellent open platform for cross pollination of ideas giving us a great opportunity to exchange our views, connect with customers and learn from our peers in the industry

What is your insight on your company’s road map for next three years?

We see the construction equipment market growing significantly and Cummins has done requisite investments in its products and capacity to address the future growth. Cummins also continues to strive towards developing products that meet the requirements of a changing emission regulatory landscape, which gives it an opportunity to make its products more environment friendly.

Cummins is displaying its state-of-the-art latest range of products, B4.5 (121 hp to 173) & B6.7 (173 to 260 hp), compliant with CEV BSIV norms. These products are flexible to cater to the wide range of construction equipment industry requirements. These products are capable and scalable to next emission level of CEV BS V and CEMM BS IV/V. This will ensure that these product offerings will continue to remain mainstay offerings for Cummins, among others, for this decade.

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