InfraStructures - October 2008 - Companies Back in Business Thanks To Cummins Power Generation

Companies Back in Business Thanks To Cummins Power Generation

When the Cedar River crested near 9,75m in mid-June, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, it reached its highest point in recorded history. In addition to breaking records, the flood shattered homes, businesses and lives.

Many parts of the area were under nearly 3 m of water and a total of 1300 city blocks lost power due to the heavy flooding. Cummins Power Generation supplied 35 Rental Power units to 18 companies, helping Cedar Rapids power its recovery with more than 25 MW of emergency electricity.

One example is Cryovac Food Packaging, a division of Sealed Air Corp. Cryovac manufactures plastic storage bags used in food packaging by customers around the world. The company runs a 24-hour production operation five days a week, with additional weekend hours. When the flooding caused widespread utility outages on June 12, with floodwaters still rising and no restoration in sight, plant managers needed to act quickly.

Cryovac made the decision to order Cummins Power Generation Rental Power units - mobile power units that include a generator set and control in a sound-attenuated housing. The first unit arrived within 10 hours, and by midnight all three Rental Power units had been delivered to Cryovac. The following morning, a mere 48 hours after utility power was lost, the plant was operating at full production.

It will take years for Cedar Rapids to fully repair the damage from the devastating floods of 2008. But business owners in the area found consolation in the fact that Rental Power units were available fast to start the recovery effort. In addition to helping Cryovac, Cummins distributors - such as Cummins Atlantic LLC, Cummins Bridgeway LLC, Cummins Mid-South LLC, and Cummins NPower LLC - supplied mobile Rental Power units to 17 other businesses, including telecommunications companies, hotels and grocery stores essential to getting Cedar Rapids back on its feet.

Along with serving businesses, Cummins Power Generation is supporting the entire community with trailerized weatherproof generator sets that are being used to supply power to pump water away from underground utility transformers and to run dehumidifiers in numerous locations throughout the city.

Source: Cummins Power Generation