Cummins Inc.
Company History
Cummins History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1919 in Columbus, Indiana
When was Cummins founded?
Cummins was founded in 1919 in Columbus, Indiana by Clessie Lyle Cummins and William G. Irwin, making it 107 years old.
- Founded
- 1919
- Founding place
- Columbus, Indiana
- Founders
- Clessie Lyle Cummins and William G. Irwin
- Headquarters today
- Columbus, Indiana
- Milestones documented
- 12 (1919–2026)
- Current CEO
- Jennifer Rumsey
- Acquisitions
- 4
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1919 | Cummins Engine Company Founded |
| 1931 | Cross-Country Run and Indianapolis 500 |
| 1937 | First Profitable Year |
| 1956 | First Plant Outside the U.S. |
| 1989 | Cummins Turbo Diesel in Dodge Ram |
| 2001 | Renamed Cummins Inc. |
| 2019 | Centennial and Hydrogenics Deal |
| 2022 | Meritor Acquisition and New CEO |
| 2023 | Accelera Launch and Emissions Settlement |
| 2024 | Atmus Separation Completed |
| 2025 | Data Center Power Record, Electrolyzer Reset |
| 2026 | Fuel Cell Sale and Record Quarter |
- Where was Cummins founded?
- Cummins was founded in Columbus, Indiana in 1919.
- Who founded Cummins?
- Cummins was founded by Clessie Lyle Cummins and William G. Irwin.
- When did Cummins start?
- Cummins was founded in 1919.
- How old is Cummins?
- Cummins is 107 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Clessie Cummins was a self-taught mechanic and chauffeur for Columbus, Indiana banker and industrialist William G. Irwin. Convinced that the heavy diesel engine could be made light and fast enough for vehicles, he persuaded Irwin to back the Cummins Engine Company in 1919. The company lost money for nearly two decades. Clessie kept the venture alive with publicity: in 1931 a Cummins-powered truck crossed the United States on about $11 of fuel, and the Cummins Diesel Special finished the Indianapolis 500 without a pit stop. Cummins turned its first profit in 1937, and Irwin's grand-nephew J. Irwin Miller later built it into a global company.
Founders
Clessie Lyle Cummins
Clessie Lyle Cummins (1888-1968) believed the diesel engine, then used mainly in ships and stationary plants, could be made light and fast enough to power vehicles. With William G. Irwin's backing he founded the Cummins Engine Company in Columbus, Indiana, in 1919. Early engines were built under license and sold for farm and marine use, and the company lost money for years. Clessie promoted diesel through endurance stunts: in 1931 a Cummins-powered truck crossed the United States on about $11 of fuel, and the Cummins Diesel Special completed the Indianapolis 500 without a pit stop. The company became profitable in 1937 as trucking fleets adopted diesel. Clessie held dozens of patents, including work on fuel injection and the compression engine brake later commercialized by Jacobs Vehicle Systems, a business Cummins itself acquired in 2022. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
William G. Irwin
William Glanton Irwin was a Columbus, Indiana banker and businessman who employed Clessie Cummins as a chauffeur and mechanic and became the financial backer of the Cummins Engine Company in 1919. He kept funding the company through nearly two decades of losses, including the Great Depression, until it turned profitable in 1937. Irwin's family stayed central to Cummins: his grand-nephew J. Irwin Miller joined in 1934 and led the company for more than four decades, turning it into a global engine maker. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
Cummins Engine Company Founded
Clessie Cummins and banker William G. Irwin found the Cummins Engine Company in Columbus, Indiana, initially building licensed diesel engines for farm and marine use.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCross-Country Run and Indianapolis 500
A Cummins diesel truck crosses the United States on about $11 of fuel, and the Cummins Diesel Special finishes the Indianapolis 500 without a pit stop, publicizing diesel for road vehicles.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFirst Profitable Year
After nearly two decades of losses funded by the Irwin family, Cummins records its first annual profit as trucking fleets begin switching to diesel.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgFirst Plant Outside the U.S.
Cummins opens a manufacturing plant in Shotts, Scotland, its first production site outside the United States and the start of its international manufacturing footprint.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCummins Turbo Diesel in Dodge Ram
Chrysler begins offering the 5.9L Cummins turbo diesel in Dodge Ram heavy-duty pickups, starting a partnership that continues with the 6.7L Cummins in today's Ram 2500 and 3500.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRenamed Cummins Inc.
The Cummins Engine Company changes its name to Cummins Inc., reflecting a business that by then included generators, filtration, turbochargers, and distribution as well as engines.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCentennial and Hydrogenics Deal
Cummins marks 100 years and acquires a controlling stake in Canadian fuel cell and electrolyzer maker Hydrogenics, the core of what later became Accelera.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMeritor Acquisition and New CEO
Cummins completes its roughly $3.7B acquisition of axle and brake maker Meritor, and Jennifer Rumsey succeeds Tom Linebarger as CEO on August 1, 2022.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAccelera Launch and Emissions Settlement
Cummins launches the Accelera brand for zero-emission products and agrees to a $1.675B civil penalty with U.S. and California regulators over emissions software in Ram pickup engines.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAtmus Separation Completed
Cummins completes the split-off of its filtration business, Atmus Filtration Technologies (Fleetguard), and reports FY2024 net sales of $34.10B with net income of $3.95B.
Source: sec.govData Center Power Record, Electrolyzer Reset
FY2025 sales are $33.67B; Power Systems sales rise 16% to a record $7.5B on data center demand, while a strategic review leads to $458M of electrolyzer charges and an exit from new electrolyzer sales.
Source: investor.cummins.comFuel Cell Sale and Record Quarter
Cummins sells its low-pressure fuel cell business to Alstom, raises its 2030 targets at its May Analyst Day, and posts record Q2 revenue of $9.5B.
Source: investor.cummins.comMajor Acquisitions
Meritor, Inc.
2022Add axles, brakes, and electric powertrain (e-axle) products so Cummins could supply more of the drivetrain for both diesel and electric commercial vehicles.
Jacobs Vehicle Systems
2022Acquire the maker of the Jake Brake engine compression brake and cylinder deactivation technology from Altra Industrial Motion.
Hydrogenics Corporation
2019Gain fuel cell and electrolyzer technology; Air Liquide retained a minority stake.
Onan Corporation
1986Cummins bought into generator maker Onan in 1986 and completed full ownership in 1992 to expand in power generation.
Keep researching Cummins
Cummins Company History FAQ
What were the major historical milestones of Cummins from 1919 to 1960?
Founded in 1919 in Columbus, Indiana, Cummins developed high-speed diesel engines, completed the 1931 Indy 500 without a pit stop, turned its first profit in 1937, powered Allied forces in WWII, completed its public stock listing in 1947, and created the Columbus architectural program.
When did Cummins introduce the well-known Turbo Diesel engine for Ram pickup trucks?
In 1989, Chrysler introduced the 5.9L Cummins 12-valve Turbo Diesel in Dodge Ram heavy-duty pickup trucks. The engine's extreme torque, reliability, and direct fuel injection transformed Ram into a major commercial truck contender and established a multi-decade partnership.
How did Cummins handle the transition to stringent EPA emissions regulations in the 2000s?
While competitors struggled with EPA 2004, 2007, and 2010 heavy-duty emissions standards, Cummins invested heavily in in-house cooled EGR, variable geometry turbochargers (VGT), and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) aftertreatment, capturing dominant market share across North America.
How did Cummins celebrate its 100-year corporate centennial in 2019?
Cummins marked its 100th anniversary in 2019. That year it also acquired a controlling stake in fuel cell and electrolyzer maker Hydrogenics and introduced its PLANET 2050 sustainability strategy.
When did Jennifer Rumsey become the first female CEO of Cummins Inc.?
On August 1, 2022, Jennifer Rumsey officially assumed the role of President and CEO of Cummins Inc. (and Chair in 2023), succeeding Tom Linebarger to become the seventh CEO in the company's 103-year history.
When did Cummins launch the Accelera zero-emissions brand?
In March 2023, Cummins unified its zero-emissions technologies, including hydrogen electrolyzers, hydrogen fuel cells, e-axles, and commercial battery packs, under the dedicated corporate brand 'Accelera by Cummins'.
What major joint venture did Cummins form for commercial EV batteries in 2023?
In September 2023, Accelera by Cummins formed Amplify Cell Technologies, a $2.6 billion joint venture with Daimler Truck and PACCAR, breaking ground on a 21 GWh battery cell factory in Marshall County, Mississippi.
What are Cummins Inc.'s primary strategic priorities for 2025 and beyond?
Cummins is focused on expanding generator and large-engine capacity for data centers and mining, launching HELM engine platforms for 2027 U.S. emissions rules, growing natural gas engines, and keeping Accelera focused on batteries and e-axles after exiting electrolyzers and fuel cells.
How did Cummins start?
It was founded in 1919 by Clessie Cummins, a self-taught mechanic, with financial backing from banker W.G. Irwin. For decades, diesel engines were considered too heavy and slow for vehicles, until Cummins relentlessly proved their value by setting massive speed and endurance records.
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