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Last updated on Friday, January 16, 2015
(COLUMBUS) - Cummins unveiled the truck and new engine that will return life to the facility known as “Plant One” on Central Avenue in Columbus.
Officials from local state and federal government joined company executives, employees and media outlets at the Nissan Titan, powered by the new Cummins 5.0L V* Turbo Diesel, was unveiled locally.
The announcement included the information that this new engine will be built at the nearly century-old plant. Engine production at the Central Avenue facility ceased around 2003 when the plant's remaining production lines were moved to another Cummins facility in New York State.
"For the people at the Columbus Engine Plant this is very exciting," said Jeff Caldwell, General Manager of Cummins' pickup truck business and a 31-year employee of the Company.
Caldwell, who started at the Central Avenue facility, added, "For the first time in a little over a decade, we'll be shipping engines from this place which has played such an important role in our history."
Caldwell said the Titan is the culmination of a lot of hard work from both Nissan and Cummins. He noted that there has always been a consistent number of truck customers going back-and-forth between half-ton and three-quarter-ton trucks in an effort to find the right fit. Caldwell said that this new truck, powered by Cummins' new engine, will satisfy many American truck drivers who want power and performance without making the commitment and taking on the expense of a three-quarter-ton truck.
Caldwell went on to say that this new truck and partnership with Nissan shows Cummins' determination to build on new ideas. He noted that Cummins first announced plans on building a light duty diesel engine in 2006, but the global economic cool down delayed the project.
Caldwell said that Nissan is still doing testing of the new truck and that a launch date has not been set. He noted that Cummins is using this slow roll-out period to double and triple-check engines with the idea that each one is going to a relative or family friend.
Caldwell added that the company is using this as a positive to make sure the words "Cummins" and "quality" are synonymous with the truck-buying public.
Since August of 2013, when this project was reemphasized, Rich Freeland, Cummins President and Chief Operations Officer, noted that 150 new jobs were created. He said that hundreds more are expected to be added as production of the new engine ramps up.
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