Attention: TDR Forum Junkies Wait a minute—before I can start this story, what is CMEP, you may ask?
Long-time TDR members know that CMEP is the abbreviation for Cummins MidRange Engine Plant in Columbus, Indiana. This is the factory that manufactures your Turbo Diesel engine. And it was just last year that CMEP hosted a TDR get-together. The folks at CMEP are responsible for many TDR good times; we have been their guests for the introduction of the 6.7-liter CGI engine last summer; the 2013 engine update in June 2013; Third Generation truck in August of ’02; an open house invitation in the Summer of ’99; and our very first TDR national event in the Summer of ’95. Whew!
All of these national events have been well attended, and many favorable articles have been written in the TDR about the plant personnel at CMEP, the cleanliness of their facility, and the hospitality and welcome extended to TDR members.
So, when I learned that the CMEP folks had produced a 4-minute video that gives you a glimpse inside the plant, I knew I needed to return the favor of their hospitality by posting the video. Let’s call it a CMEP mini-tour.
Before you watch the video here is some further background on CMEP.
The ground breaking for the plant that we know as CMEP was back in January 1971. When the plant was completed a year later, it was known as the Walesboro Plant for engine components.
The facility was idled in 1986 and was vacant until the end of 1991.
Prior to the reopening of the plant in January of ’92 as the Columbus MidRange Engine Plant, the B-series engines for Dodge pickups were manufactured in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Since the Indiana plant had been idle for 5 years, well, let’s just say that it was not in the best physical shape. As the refurbishment process began, the motto for anything that did not move was “paint it white and make it bright.” It was quite a task to remove the stained and oil-saturated wooden flooring and replace it with the polished and epoxied bright concrete that you see today.
I could go on and on about the facility—TDR members who have had the good fortune to tour the plant will tell you how impressively spotless CMEP is today. But, through these many years of TDR interaction with the CMEP staff and employees, it is the people at CMEP that make this place special. Let’s take a minute to recognize some of the milestones from the CMEP archives:
Here is other data from CMEP:
CMEP Employees
As an update, in the early years at CMEP there was engine production for several different OEM companies. Now, almost 30 years later, the CMEP facility makes engines only for Ram.
So, enjoy the short video as the employees ramp-up to bring us the 2021 version of Cummins power for the Ram pickup.
RP
Long-time TDR members know that CMEP is the abbreviation for Cummins MidRange Engine Plant in Columbus, Indiana. This is the factory that manufactures your Turbo Diesel engine. And it was just last year that CMEP hosted a TDR get-together. The folks at CMEP are responsible for many TDR good times; we have been their guests for the introduction of the 6.7-liter CGI engine last summer; the 2013 engine update in June 2013; Third Generation truck in August of ’02; an open house invitation in the Summer of ’99; and our very first TDR national event in the Summer of ’95. Whew!
All of these national events have been well attended, and many favorable articles have been written in the TDR about the plant personnel at CMEP, the cleanliness of their facility, and the hospitality and welcome extended to TDR members.
So, when I learned that the CMEP folks had produced a 4-minute video that gives you a glimpse inside the plant, I knew I needed to return the favor of their hospitality by posting the video. Let’s call it a CMEP mini-tour.
Before you watch the video here is some further background on CMEP.
The ground breaking for the plant that we know as CMEP was back in January 1971. When the plant was completed a year later, it was known as the Walesboro Plant for engine components.
The facility was idled in 1986 and was vacant until the end of 1991.
Prior to the reopening of the plant in January of ’92 as the Columbus MidRange Engine Plant, the B-series engines for Dodge pickups were manufactured in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Since the Indiana plant had been idle for 5 years, well, let’s just say that it was not in the best physical shape. As the refurbishment process began, the motto for anything that did not move was “paint it white and make it bright.” It was quite a task to remove the stained and oil-saturated wooden flooring and replace it with the polished and epoxied bright concrete that you see today.
I could go on and on about the facility—TDR members who have had the good fortune to tour the plant will tell you how impressively spotless CMEP is today. But, through these many years of TDR interaction with the CMEP staff and employees, it is the people at CMEP that make this place special. Let’s take a minute to recognize some of the milestones from the CMEP archives:
| Year | Engine Production |
| 1992 | Open for engine production |
| 1995 | 1000,000 engines produced |
| 1997 | 250,000 engines produced |
| 2001 | 750,000 engines produced |
| 2003 | 1,000,000 engines produced |
| 2006 | 1,500,000 engines produced |
| 2010 | 1,500,000 engines produced |
| 2012 | 2,000,000 engines produced |
| 2016 | 2,500,000 engines produced |
| 2020 | 3,000,000 engines produced |
Here is other data from CMEP:
CMEP Employees
| Year | Production | Employees |
| 1991 | Start | 150 |
| 1995 | 125/day | 165 |
| 2000 | 650/day | 695 |
| 2005 | 800/day | 914 |
| 2010 | 350/day | 525 |
| 2012 | 500/day | 600 |
| Current | 600/day | 915 |
As an update, in the early years at CMEP there was engine production for several different OEM companies. Now, almost 30 years later, the CMEP facility makes engines only for Ram.
So, enjoy the short video as the employees ramp-up to bring us the 2021 version of Cummins power for the Ram pickup.
RP
