Cummins’ “first cross-business operations hub”

Cummins has opened a new UK Logistics Centre (UKLC) - its first cross-business operations hub - in a move which the company said will better serve its customers through centralising processes and increased efficiency.

The 435,000 sq. ft. centre in Daventry, UK, consolidates the storage capacity previously shared across both Cummins and third-party warehouses to support its UK manufacturing sites and its aftermarket products, under one roof, Cummins said.

A QSK78 high horsepower Cummins engine

The facility allows for greater speed and flexibility across the supply chain to best meet customer needs whilst minimising the centre’s environmental impact, it added.

“It is a fantastic achievement to see the Cummins UK Logistics Centre come to fruition,” said Andy Fenn, Site leader for UKLC. “This project truly demonstrates Cummins’ continued investment within the UK and a new way for Cummins to manage its logistics and supply chain network within Europe. In the current climate where jobs have been significantly impacted by COVID-19, I’m proud we’ve created nearly 100 new roles in the area, in addition to the Cummins workforce currently employed in Daventry and Rugby.”

As part of Cummins’ Planet 2050 sustainability strategy to address climate change and conserve natural resources, the UKLC project focused on reducing the centre’s environmental impacts. The facility has been given a BREEAM Outstanding rating, a sustainability assessment ranking the facility in the top 1% of UK non-domestic buildings. The warehouse is designed to be self-powered for six months of the year, utilising PV solar panels and a Cummins QSK60G gas generator set in a standby application. Other environmentally focused features include the sites’ ability to harvest rainwater and the available electric vehicle charging points for employees. The UKLC project supported local businesses, using suppliers from within a 15-mile radius throughout the build.

Since 1972, Cummins has had a presence in Daventry and surrounding areas, with its factory employing over 1,000 people. The factory makes high horsepower engines for the power generation, mining, and rail sectors, along with complete power generation sets.