Cummins Filtration’s coolant and air filtration production plant in Woodmead, Johannesburg is the most modern in the Cummins Group globally. Apart from producing products of world-class quality, the facility also prides itself on its exemplary safety record since being established in 2015.

The Woodmead facility is ISO 9001 Quality Management System and ISO 14001 Environmental Management accredited. Cummins is also currently aiming for additional accreditations such as ISO 18001 Health & Safety Management System.

The company aims to attain ISO 18001 accreditation by Q1 2019 at the latest. “It is a lengthy process, with every stage overseen by our HSE management team,” explains Cummins Filtration Africa Middle East (AME) Technical Support Leader Raymond Liversage. In November 2017, the facility passed its annual ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 audits with flying colours.

The Woodmead facility is the main manufacturing and distribution centre for Cummins Filtration in Southern Africa. It also supplies product into Eastern and Western Africa, with most of the large-diameter air filters produced being deployed at mines in these regions.

Cummins Filtration continues to develop, refine, and improve its products. It also seeks to find innovative ways to leave a lighter footprint on the environment. Among its latest innovations are the new ES Compleat organic acid technology (OAT) coolant NanoNet® filtration media, and NanoForce® technologies.

ES Compleat OAT is a life-of-engine organic additive, with its ethylene glycol base supporting the supplementary coolant additives (SCAs) to deliver superior liner pitting, scale and corrosion protection. Minimal maintenance is required during its life cycle if it is kept topped up with ES Compleat OAT premix.

“It is our answer to the maintenance demands of heavy-duty diesel cooling systems, and can be used with non-chemical extended service interval (ESI) water filters,” Liversage explains. It features superior diesel engine protection against freezing, boil-over, cavitation, liner pitting, erosion, corrosion, elastomer gasket degradation, and scaling.

NanoNet® filters are a final-fuel filtration solution and use the same nanofibre media technology, namely NanoForce®, which is the latest technology used in air filtration. The nanofibres woven into the media help capture and retain contaminants more efficiently, improving fuel filtration performance by up to 13 times compared to standard filters.

Fleetguard NanoForce® air filters deliver the cleanest combustion air for large construction and mining engines and equipment. The well-proven, robust features of the AF879NF and AF899NF variants, for example, allow for maximum protection. The nanofibre media includes new enhanced filter-media pleating and pleat stabilisation to deliver superior engine protection and longer filter service life.

The Woodmead production facility employs 58 workers. Mainly servicing the African market, Cummins is currently conducting a feasibility study into a product pipeline for the Middle East. It even exports air-filtration systems into Europe and Asia. While this is a minimal market at present, there is significant potential for growth, Liversage reveals.

About 60% of the coolant produced at the Woodmead facility is used locally, with the remaining 40% exported. The fully-automated facility is equipped with the latest coolant, production, and blending equipment. In addition, it also manufactures metal end cap and radial seal air filters. There are two production lines, one for coolant and one for air filters, in different parts of the building to prevent any cross-contamination.

Cummins is currently working on two projects to increase its market offering in terms of coolant. While Fleetcool has just been launched, the second new coolant product under development is awaiting final approval before its official release onto the market, Liversage concludes.