1919
They believed in the power of ideas and had a shared vision of what ingenuity and hard work could achieve.
Clessie Cummins created the Cummins Engine Company based in Columbus, Indiana (U.S.A). William G. Irwin,
who employed him as a driver, supplied nearly all of the $50,000 in startup capital.
Clessie Cummins recognised the advantages of the compression ignition oil engine. He developed the first Cummins engine as a licensee of R.M. Hvid Co.
1924
Utilising Clessie Cummins’ patented direct injection design, the Model F engine is the beginning of a long history of innovation.
1929
Cummins takes Irwin for a ride in a used Packard limousine that he equipped with the diesel engine on Christmas Day. Irwininvests a much-needed infusion of cash.
1931
Cummins’ diesel powered No.8 becomes the first car to run the Indianapolis 500 race without stopping for fuel, proving its reliability and fuel-efficiency.
1932
Targeted for the commercial trucking market, this engine dominated the industry for decades to come. The forerunner of the renowned NH and N14 engines waseventually built in the Cummins Shotts factory in Scotland.
1932
Cummins barnstorms across the country, demonstrating the power and fuel efficiency of the diesel engine in his Coast-to-Coast Cummins Diesel Test Bus. Achieving a faster travel time than by express train, a 125-horsepower Model H-equipped Mack bus cruises from New York, to Los Angeles, to California (U.S.A), in a record 91 hours total trip time and 78 hours running time. The 32-seat test bus reaches speeds of up to 65 miles per hour.
1937
For the first time in its history, Cummins turns a profit. This milestone is reached 18 years after its founding. Cummins leaders are pictured proudly standing with the VL12.
1947
Emphasising research, cost-efficiency and quality, J. Irwin Miller becomes Cummins’ President. He would be remembered for his business acumen, groundbreaking approach to philanthropy and support for civil rights.
1950
After achieving a 139 mile per hour track record, the Cummins Diesel No. 28 racecar assumes the pole position at the Indianapolis 500 with the first turbocharged engine to run the race. On pace with race leaders, the 430-horsepower JBS-600 diesel racer was forced to retire at the 100-mile mark due to damage. The exact cause became the subject of race lore.
1956
Cummins Shotts in Scotland became the first international production facility, marking the company’s expansion and supporting key customers such as Euclid.
1960
Developed to meet the growing demand for smaller, more compact engines that could be used in lighter vehicles and applications, where space and weight were critical factors. These 4−stroke V6 and V8 diesel engines of 378, 504 and 555 cubic inch displacement were designated V378, V504 and V555. They were initially built in Columbus Indiana, but the company saw the opportunity in international markets, and this led to the set up of manufacturing in Darlington, U.K.
1962
A partnership with Komatsu marks Cummins’ entry into East Asia. Spearheaded by bulldozer production, much of Komatsu’s growth coincides with Japan’s postwar reconstruction effort. Komatsu remains a major customer of the Darlington plant.
1963
Work on the £8.5 million Chrysler-Cummins plant begins and in January 1965 production of the V6 & V8 engines commences.
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Transcript
1919
They believed in the power of ideas and had a shared vision of what ingenuity and hard work could achieve. Clessie Cummins created the Cummins Engine Company based in Columbus, Indiana (U.S.A). William G. Irwin, who employed him as a driver, supplied nearly all of the $50,000 in startup capital. Clessie Cummins recognised the advantages of the compression ignition oil engine. He developed the first Cummins engine as a licensee of R.M. Hvid Co.
1924
Utilising Clessie Cummins’ patented direct injection design, the Model F engine is the beginning of a long history of innovation.
1929
Cummins takes Irwin for a ride in a used Packard limousine that he equipped with the diesel engine on Christmas Day. Irwininvests a much-needed infusion of cash.
1931
Cummins’ diesel powered No.8 becomes the first car to run the Indianapolis 500 race without stopping for fuel, proving its reliability and fuel-efficiency.
1932
Targeted for the commercial trucking market, this engine dominated the industry for decades to come. The forerunner of the renowned NH and N14 engines waseventually built in the Cummins Shotts factory in Scotland.
1932
Cummins barnstorms across the country, demonstrating the power and fuel efficiency of the diesel engine in his Coast-to-Coast Cummins Diesel Test Bus. Achieving a faster travel time than by express train, a 125-horsepower Model H-equipped Mack bus cruises from New York, to Los Angeles, to California (U.S.A), in a record 91 hours total trip time and 78 hours running time. The 32-seat test bus reaches speeds of up to 65 miles per hour.
1937
For the first time in its history, Cummins turns a profit. This milestone is reached 18 years after its founding. Cummins leaders are pictured proudly standing with the VL12.
1947
Emphasising research, cost-efficiency and quality, J. Irwin Miller becomes Cummins’ President. He would be remembered for his business acumen, groundbreaking approach to philanthropy and support for civil rights.
1950
After achieving a 139 mile per hour track record, the Cummins Diesel No. 28 racecar assumes the pole position at the Indianapolis 500 with the first turbocharged engine to run the race. On pace with race leaders, the 430-horsepower JBS-600 diesel racer was forced to retire at the 100-mile mark due to damage. The exact cause became the subject of race lore.
1956
Cummins Shotts in Scotland became the first international production facility, marking the company’s expansion and supporting key customers such as Euclid.
1960
Developed to meet the growing demand for smaller, more compact engines that could be used in lighter vehicles and applications, where space and weight were critical factors. These 4−stroke V6 and V8 diesel engines of 378, 504 and 555 cubic inch displacement were designated V378, V504 and V555. They were initially built in Columbus Indiana, but the company saw the opportunity in international markets, and this led to the set up of manufacturing in Darlington, U.K.
1962
A partnership with Komatsu marks Cummins’ entry into East Asia. Spearheaded by bulldozer production, much of Komatsu’s growth coincides with Japan’s postwar reconstruction effort. Komatsu remains a major customer of the Darlington plant.
1963
Work on the £8.5 million Chrysler-Cummins plant begins and in January 1965 production of the V6 & V8 engines commences.
Click to find out more