Cummins invests $27M in North Charleston site

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Cummins Turbo Technologies opened its expanded turbo remanufacturing operations in North Charleston on Friday, a $27 million investment expected to create 250 new jobs.

The new facility will remanufacture used turbochargers that the company says will meet the same specifications as new turbos. Each remanufactured turbo will go through a validation process to ensure they meet dependability and performance expectations of Cummins’ customers.

“Our employees in Charleston are critical to making Cummins Turbo Technologies the world-leader in air handling for commercial vehicles by exhibiting the teamwork and excellence necessary to deliver innovative, reliable turbocharger solutions,” Shon Wright, vice president of Cummins Turbo Technologies, said in a news release. “Our investment in the Charleston area will help us optimize our footprint and continue to be the top choice of our global customers.”

Adding turbo remanufacturing to North Charleston, where Cummins Turbo Technologies already had a manufacturing presence, allows Cummins the flexibility to optimize its network between remanufactured and new turbocharger products and improve the cost competitiveness of both remanufactured and new turbos.

Remanufacturing is an important part of Cummins’ environmental sustainability strategy, Destination Zero, the news release said. Remanufacturing will allow the company to use less, use better and use again, while presenting an environmentally friendly option to replace a turbo. Additionally, by salvaging roughly 70% of the turbo’s metal by weight, remanufacturing greatly reduces the global impact from mining and refining those metals.

Cummins has been in the Charleston area since the 1990s and opened its existing facility, the Charleston Turbo Plant, in 2006 with a focus on manufacturing first-fit turbochargers for original equipment manufacturers. More than 725 employees work there.

In addition to the sustainability and business benefits of locating the new facility close to the existing Charleston Turbo Plant, Cummins is expanding in North Charleston because of its competitive manufacturing industry, robust labor pool and to continue strengthening its ties to the community and workforce, the company said in the release.

While in Charleston to open the new remanufacturing facility, Wright presented local community groups with grants as part of the company’s journey to dismantle institutional racism through the Cummins Advocating for Racial Equity initiative.

Metanoia, a local community organization that invests in neighborhood assets to build leaders, was presented a $1 million Community Development grant to establish quality housing and generate economic development. CommunityWorks and Lowcountry Street Grocery also received grants to support small Black-owned businesses in the Charleston community. See related story.

“In Charleston, we have a history of supporting community organizations in the areas of education, environment and equality of opportunity,” Wright said in the release. “Cummins’ goal is to improve communities where our employees are located, and we are committed to bringing together all of Cummins' capabilities — its people, its balance sheet and the company’s philanthropy — to drive racial equity and combat the impact of racism on our employees, communities and economy.”

Cummins Inc. is a corporation of complementary business segments that design, manufacture, distribute and service a broad portfolio of power solutions. The company’s products range from internal combustion, electric and hybrid integrated power solutions and components including filtration, aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, electric power generation systems, microgrid controls, batteries, electrolyzers and fuel cell products.

The company is headquartered in Columbus, Ind.