Quality Management system

Cummins

Incorporation is a company that makes, designs, sells, distributes and services engines. It also deals with technology concerned with diesel engines such as electrical systems, air management, emission controls, filter systems, power generation systems, etc. The company has it headquarters in Columbus, IN, USA, and is present in 160 nations throughout the world. It has more than 550 units throughout the world and more than 5000 dealer outlets. The company obtained a net income of about $ 715, through the sales of $ 11. 4 billion in 2006.

The company employs about 33, 500 throughout the world (Cummins Inc, 2004). During the early 1980’s, Cummins Inc, remained a strong contender in the diesel engine market, controlling about 50 % of the market. In the year 1884, the company’s market share of diesel engine sales went up to 60 %. However, following this the company had some problems with quality issues and stiff competition. Recession began to strongly affect the company, and in order to counteract losses, the company began to decrease its employee strength by about 14 % in the 1990’s.

However, things began to change slowly in the later stages of the 1990’s, as the company felt some improvements following a complete new quality control statement and adherence to the pollution control limits. The company also became more focused on customer-satisfaction. The company is also expanding into other areas including creation of high-HP engines. The engines are more custom-made to suit the consumer’s requirements. The company now caters to fulfilling the needs of the consumers.

Cummins is also able to grow drastically in the field of engine electronics, which has turned out to be major support systems for its high-technology engines. The company had stiff competition with Caterpillar Inc in the high-HP sector and with Detroit Diesel in the cost area (Plumb, 1992). Some of the goals of the company with regards to quality include:

1. Helping people lead a better life.
2. Committed to being the leader in the market for power-generation systems.
3. Improving the society in which people live and function.
4. Motivate people to work as a team, and each having independence.
5. Meeting the expectations of the clients.
6. Working in partnership with the customers.
7. Working for a safer and a cleaner environment.
8. Ensuring that the stakeholders of the company receive greater than their expectations.
9. Provide value for money to all customers.
10. Ensuring that collaborations with others are possible for a more effective business strategy and outcome.
11. Remain attractive to the customers by ensuring that the company’s values and mission is constantly maintained.

The company achieves its quality control goals by ensuring that certain activities, processes and resources are enabled. These include:

1. Presence of certain policies and strategies.
2. Use of sound evaluation processes.
3. Close monitoring for quality and consumer satisfaction levels.
4. Ensuring that the quality standards are met according to accreditation organizations such as the ISO.
5. Ensuring that the human resources skills are frequently updated.
6. Rating and evaluating the consumer satisfaction levels.
7. Ensuring that appropriate staff are procured and maintained in the organization. Staff members are familiarized with the quality process during the training stage itself.
8. Identifying and sorting out any barriers that could directly affect quality.
9. Ensuring that the research and development is conducted for the products of the company to ensure that Cummins stays as the leader in diesel engine system.
10. To improve safety levels and ensure that error is minimal.

Some of the problems the company could be facing include:

1. Human resource problems.
2. he issue of the products meeting the stringent pollution control levels imposed in several countries. The fact is that the company would have to meet varying environmental legislations (in different countries)
3. The need to constantly improve the engines with regards to fuel efficiency, power generation and pollution control.
4. The need to develop sophisticated electrical and electronic support system.

Effectively the company has to develop appropriate support systems for its products. The quality system of the company is quite effective in ensuring that the company stays as the leader in diesel engine systems.

The company has developed and grown to be the leader in the field of diesel engine power generation. The company has identified some of the constraints it was having and has made an attempt to lower them. Some of my suggestions for quality control includes:

1. Development of sufficient support systems including software and hardware that could improve the efficiency of the engines.
2. Side-by-side development of environmentally-friendly technology.

References:

1. Ameri Health (2006), Quality Management Goals & Activities – New Jersey, Retrieved on July 7, 2007, from Ameri Health Web site.
2. Cummins (2004), About Cummins, Retrieved on July 7, 2007, from Cummins Web site: http://www. cummins. com/cmi/content. jsp? siteId=1&langId=1033&menuId=1&menuIndex=0 KPIT Cummins (2004), FAQ’s January 2004, Retrieved on July 7, 2007, from KPIT Cummins Web site: http://www. cumminsindia. com/cdss/parts/FAQs. html
3. Plumb, S. E. (1992), Cummins comin’ back – Cummins Engine Company plans to regain market share while holding down prices – Heavy-Duty World – Company Profile, Retrieved on July 7, 2007, from Find Articles Web site: http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m3165/is_n2_v28/ai_11858998