By Boris Ladwig, The Republic
bladwig@therepublic.com
Cummins Inc. is recalling 400 laid-off employees and will restart production of the Dodge Ram engine July 13.
However, after mid-August, Cummins expects another roughly two-month shutdown before production on the 2010 model Ram engines begins sometime in October.
Columbus Midrange Engine Plant, near Walesboro, is the exclusive supplier of 6.7-liter Turbo Diesel engines for the Dodge Ram pickup truck.
Chrysler's bankruptcy and its idling of plants had forced Cummins to halt production at CMEP on May 13 and lay off 720.
The Columbus-based engine maker has sent letters to employees to inform them that production is about to resume, said Mark Land, executive director of corporate communications.
CMEP employees will work one shift, compared to two shifts early this year, Land said, and the plant will reach full production July 20.
The 400 employees will produce engines for the 2009 model Ram through mid-August, Land said.
After some testing on the 2010 engine line, Cummins will idle the plant until Chrysler starts production for the 2010 model Ram, which, Land said, is expected to occur in October, at which point employees will be recalled again.
Land said Cummins hopes production will continue "for good" at that point.
He said Cummins has "solid commitments" from Chrysler for the 2010 Dodge Ram.
Ram mystique
Though Cummins remained optimistic about the Dodge-Cummins relationship when the idling of the plant was announced in May, the uncertainties surrounding Chrysler's bankruptcy had caused concerns among company and city officials about whether the partnership would continue
The Cummins-powered Dodge Ram pickup truck has attracted a loyal following and has attained cult status among many of its owners.
The latest engine, available in Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 models, already meets 2010 emissions standards and won Automotive News' 2008 Premier Automotive Suppliers' Contribution to Excellence Award.
"We were confident (that the partnership with Chrysler would continue)," Land said, "but it's nice to see that it's really happening."
Associated Press reported Thursday that Chrysler recorded poor sales in June.
"The Dodge Ram pickup, Chrysler's top-selling vehicle and for years among the topselling cars and trucks in the U.S., fell off the list of top 10 sellers in June for the second straight month.
"It dropped to No. 12 with a 10 percent sales decline. Chrysler had no vehicles in the top 10 last month, according to Autodata Corp.," AP reported.
Chrysler's bankruptcy also has delayed an extension of its partnership with Cummins.
The two companies have agreed to use a light-duty Cummins diesel for the 1500 model Ram.
Cummins in 2006 had said it planned to begin LDD production at Columbus Engine Plant, also known as Plant 1, by the end of the decade after investing $250 million employing between 600 and 800.
Land said in mid-June that Cummins probably would not meet its initial timeline.
Chrysler recently canceled the LDD contract with Cummins, although the engine maker has said negotiations are continuing, and the project merely is delayed - not scrapped.
The CEP production floor has been limited to machining of heavy-duty cylinder heads and blocks, since Cummins moved heavy-duty engine assembly to Jamestown, N.Y., in 2002.
"We were confident (that the partnership with Chrysler would continue), but it's nice to see that it's really happening."