Cummins Inc. this week inaugurated its Rumst campus in the Industrial Zone in Rumst, Belgium, with a ceremony that focused on the company’s commitment to provide high-quality parts and service to customers in the region while being a vital part of the local community.
The new Cummins Global Logistics Center is part of the company’s strategy to build an integrated aftermarket distribution channel. The three buildings on the Rumst campus combine all of the parts and warehouse activities for Cummins’ Engine, Power Generation and Filtration business units for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
“Cummins has, for many years, maintained distribution operations within Belgium,” says Norbert Nusterer, Cummins vice president of new and recon parts. “We recently merged the aftermarket activities for all our business units into a consolidated group we call Cummins Global Logistics. Our Rumst work force, with its cultural and language diversity and the ability to make excellent use of Belgium’s well developed communication and transportation networks, serves an enormously diverse region. They provide a vital link between Cummins products and customers around the world.”
The former distribution center in Mechelen was consolidated into the Rumst campus, which includes one office building and two warehouses. The operation employs about 350 people, with more jobs expected to be added.
The center will service EMEA aftermarket needs as well as other Cummins distribution centers and plants throughout the world. Among the services provided are finished goods warehousing and distribution, kitting and packaging, customer service and transportation and logistics. The site also will serve as the headquarters for Cummins Filtration EMEA and as the administrative headquarters for the EMEA Global Logistics business.
“Working with U.S. companies as they expand their international presence is a crucial factor of our diplomatic efforts worldwide,” said U.S. Ambassador Howard Gutman. “This is another fine example of the Belgian-U.S. commercial relationship, a sort of global joint venture for economic prosperity. The United States is Belgium’s largest non-European trade partner, and Belgium is the 14th largest export market of the United States.”
Besides the ambassador, the ribbon-cutting ceremony featured comments from Rumst Mayor Eddy Huyghe and Minister-President of the Flemish Government, Mr. Kris Peeters.
