How significant is mining to Cummins Ghana as a proportion of its business in the country?

BY: Cummins’ operations in Ghana are predominantly in the mining space.  Approximately 70% of our business is within the mining industry.

With regards to power, Ghana has had some shortfalls. What do you expect for the industry moving forwards and what can Cummins do to help the situation?

BY: Cummins is a global provider of power solutions, including high-speed, high-horsepower engines and power generation equipment. We offer engines, power generation systems, components and services, for use in residential, standby, commercial/industrial, mining, marine, rail, oil and gas, defense, data centers, telecom and healthcare applications. Natural gas from the oil and gas industry can be used in gas power generation systems, and we are looking to introduce these systems in Ghana.

The power situation in Ghana is improving and currently the grid is relatively stable. Stability returning to the energy sector has resulted in a decrease in demand for generating sets. However, mines cannot afford to lose power, and thus our products and services are still in high demand in this industry.  

The environment is becoming an integral part of mining. What can Cummins do to help mining companies reduce emissions?

DK: The current emission standards still accept tier II engines, and we provide products to our clients based on their own requirements and preferences. Cummins Emission Solutions develops and produces various emission solutions designed to meet the highest emissions standards worldwide. We assist our customers to meet tomorrow's emissions standards today with innovative, flexible and integrated technologies. Our mission is to help our clients get a cleaner supply of power. It is a collective responsibility for industry players and regulators to work together in implementing more sustainable and cleaner energy supply.

How has Cummins become a leader in the aftersales space?

BY: One of Cummins’ core values is excellence. We are focused on our client’s needs and ensure that we serve them in the best possible way. We pride ourselves in having a qualified and talented team that is able to provide the best sales, services and support. All the technicians we have in Ghana, approximately 46, are trained to a level of excellence. We are there to ensure that our customers are supported in all their needs. Cummins manufactures and refurbishes engines and has a global supply chain network in place that ensures we can get our products to anywhere that our customers are located.      

What differentiates Cummins in a very competitive market?

BY: Cummins’ aftermarket support/services is what differentiates us from competitors. Our vision is innovating for our customers to power their success. We offer tech-on-site services to our customers where we have technicians and inventory on site. We pride ourselves in assisting customers immediately. What we cannot keep on site, we keep in our main warehouses so as to have availability and to still be able to provide support in a timely manner. Our rebuilding capabilities are also a competitive advantage for Cummins.

What is Cummins’ vision and strategy for the upcoming five years?

BY: Statistics show that Ghana has become the number one gold mining producer in Africa. Cummins has seen relatively flat movement in terms of purchases from the mining industry within the year, but we hope that a lot more mines will come online in the years to come. We monitor mining operations through a mining network, where we can track new mines coming into operation. As the mining industry in Ghana grows, it gives us more opportunities to serve customers. We are very excited about the opportunities that Ghana still has to offer, and we are always looking at ways to bring value to the Ghanaian market. Cummins is customer-focused, and we aim to build strong and long-lasting relationships with our clients. We will continue to expand our presence throughout the country in an effort to be closer to our customers.