Cummins Case Study Shows a 12.6% Improvement in Energy Performance with SEP

Cummins Case Study Shows a 12.6% Improvement in Energy Performance with SEP

A recently published case study examines the successes of Cummins Inc., a global engine manufacturer that implemented an energy management system (EnMS) that meets the requirements of ISO 50001 and Superior Energy Performance® (SEP™). Cummins implemented the EnMS at the Rocky Mount Engine Plant (RMEP), a natural gas and diesel engine manufacturing facility in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Results indicate that energy performance improved 12.6%, which will save the company approximately $716,000 annually.

Recognizing the importance of sustainability in today’s domestic and international markets, Cummins established an Energy Champion program in 2009 and sets annual goals for corporate energy performance improvement and greenhouse gas reduction. As RMEP accounted for 10% of the company’s energy use, the plant was identified as having significant potential to contribute to environmental and energy productivity targets.

In early 2012, plant staff began EnMS implementation, which took about two years. SEP/ISO 50001 readiness review audits began in 2013, with an ultimate finding of 12.6% improvement in energy performance. The plant received both ISO 50001 and Gold SEP certifications by the end of the year.

A cost–benefit analysis shows that the RMEP plant invested roughly $248,000 in SEP and has achieved $716,000 in annual cost savings, $281,000 of which results from low- or no-cost operational changes. The operational changes alone paid back the initial investment in just 11 months.

The Cummins Inc. case study has been published in a new SEP format with information about the facility, background, business case, implementation, challenges, costs, benefits, lessons learned, and future plans. The HARBEC, Inc., case study, originally published in May 2015, has been updated to fit this format and provides information about the company’s EnMS implementation and the resulting 16.5% improvement in energy performance.