Global power leader Cummins has opened its new 6,000 sq m joint headquarters that houses both the company's regional distribution organization and its Middle East distribution entity in the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza).

Headquartered in Columbus, US, Cummins is a corporation of complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute and service engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems.

The new Leed Silver-qualified complex that was opened recently includes office, warehouse and training facilities equipped to host 160 employees, said a company statement.

The building currently accommodates over 120 employees from the Cummins Middle East Regional Distribution Organization (RDO) and Cummins Middle East, as well as representatives of other Cummins business units including power generation, filtration and business services.

The complex also houses a 3,000-sq m warehouse and a comprehensive service training facility for classroom and hands-on training for distributor, dealer and customer technicians.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by employees, customers, senior Cummins executives from around the world, Cummins dealers and independent distributors from the Middle East Region, vendors, and US and UAE government officials, as well as senior officials from Jafza, the American Business Council and Economic Zones World.

Pamela Carter, president of Cummins Distribution Business, said by 2014, Cummins worldwide expected to generate revenue of over $20 billion and was counting on the Middle East to contribute meaningfully to this growth.

'We intend to work in partnership with our customers, distributors and all stakeholders to continue to grow and tap markets around the region,' she noted.

“Our core values demand that we give back to the communities that we live and work in. Our training facility will benefit current and future employees from this community. We want to help them to grow their skills, and make sure that they have the technical and management capability for the long run,” she added.

Amy Adams, executive managing director for Europe, Middle East and Africa Distribution, said: 'We have a very rich history in the Middle East, and we certainly see a bright future, in which we hope to grow with our partners and our stakeholders.'

'At its very core, Cummins is about people who are dedicated to supporting our partners, distributors, the community and our employees. This building is a visible sign of our commitment,' he noted.

Earlier, Dennis Heathfield, managing director of Cummins Middle East Distribution, and Wassim Aboushaar, general manager of the Cummins Middle East Distributorship, welcomed all who attended the inauguration.

Heathfield thanked Cummins employees, Jafza officials, developers and other individuals, for their efforts to make the building 'a reality.'

Cummins broke ground on the project in November 2008, and since then, Heathfield said, “there has never been a dull moment.”

He said that in the next few months Cummins would start work on building an engine rebuild and testing centre adjacent to the current facility.

According to him, Cummins has had distribution representation in the Middle East since 1956. The Middle East RDO covers 16 countries, served by the company-owned distributor, four full line independent distributors in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt and Pakistan, and two Power Generation distributor/dealers in Iraq and Jordan.-TradeArabia News Service