Cummins and NTT: Powering The Future Of Data Centres

Dawn Wehr leads Strategy, Product Planning and Digital for the power systems business at Cummins, a 105-year-old global power company with operations in more than 190 countries.

With more than 37 years of experience serving the data centre industry, Cummins provides the dependable power infrastructure that keeps digital ecosystems running across the world.

“One of our brand taglines is ‘Depend on Cummins,’ and that’s something we live by every day,” Dawn says. “Reliability is absolutely critical when powering data centers – there is no room for compromise.”

Innovation and reliability

In a sector that demands uninterrupted power, one might expect innovation to be an afterthought. For Cummins, though, new products – especially those focused on sustainability – are becoming an important part of the business strategy.

For Dawn, the important thing is to ensure that these green technologies can be trusted.

“There are new challenges to solve as we integrate emerging technologies to meet the same reliability standards our customers expect,” Dawn explains. “That’s where our century of engineering experience becomes a real advantage.”

Dawn and her team are actively exploring more sustainable alternatives to diesel, like natural gas and HVO-compatible machinery, while also producing battery energy storage systems which can be charged using renewable energy.

Navigating global complexity

Cummins is a truly global company, with manufacturing facilities in China, the US, India and the UK, allowing the company to serve markets efficiently and responsively.

Operating such a sprawling network means that Cummins’ team has to be agile, though, adapting to different tariffs and regulations in each territory.

“Our supply chain team are heroes,” Dawn says. “Their ability to adapt and deliver in such a dynamic environment is remarkable.”

Globality is Cummins’ superpower on this front. Its 50-year presence in China, for instance, has allowed the company to create very strong relationships with suppliers.

The firm’s long-standing ‘local for local’ approach ensures products are designed and manufactured close to where they are sold, strengthening supply resilience and relationships. 

“That local presence helps us navigate complexity and build lasting partnerships,” Dawn explains.

Meeting surging demand

The rapid expansion of AI is driving unprecedented demand for data centres capacity – and Cummins’ expertise has never been more essential.

"Our plants are sold out for the next few years," Dawn says. The company's immediate priority is delivering on its commitments while evaluating its future investments, which are likely to grow alongside the demand for AI.

NTT, one of the world’s largest co-located data centre providers, is one of Cummins’ most important clients in this field.

“We’ve had a strong, collaborative partnership for many years,” Dawn explains. “It’s built on mutual trust, shared values and a common vision for reliability and sustainability.”

While much of this collaboration has been centered in the U.S., both organisations are now exploring ways to expand their partnership globally. 

“We’re excited about the opportunity to take this relationship to the next level and continue powering NTT’s growth in a sustainable way,” Dawn concludes.