Powering Performance

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is home to some of the world's most remote and demanding mining operations. From the highlands and mountainous interior to isolated islands, keeping equipment productive can depend as much on parts availability, technical expertise and logistics as it does on the machinery itself.

For Cummins PNG, supporting the sector means considering more than just any single machine, product or mine site. Its role extends across the mining value chain, power heavy mining equipment, mine-site power generation, diesel-powered support equipment, and the on-highway and road transport applications that connect operations from pit to port.

Supporting growth across PNG mining

Cummins PNG's mining presence has grown significantly over the past 12 months, with its fleet presence in the sector nearly doubling. The growth spans haul trucks, excavators and drilling equipment, with customers adopting products ranging from the proven KTA38 platform through to the latest QSK60 high-horsepower engines entering service.

Ben Clark, Director and General Manager - Mining, Cummins Asia Pacific, said PNG is an important example of the complete capability Cummins brings to mining customers.

"Mining in PNG requires more than a reliable engine. Customers need the products, people, parts and technical resources to work together across the full equipment lifecycle," Clark said.

"Our capability includes high-horsepower engines in haul trucks, excavators and drills to power generation and the transport equipment that helps move materials and product."

Cummins' growing PNG mining footprint includes established engine platforms that have proven themselves over many years, as well as newer high-horsepower products supporting fleet expansion and renewal. At Ok Tedi, for example, Cummins-[pwered equipment includes haulage and excavation applications using KTA38, QSK38 and QSK60 engines with various equipment OEM's including XCMG, Hitachi and Sandvik.

The business's capability extend well beyond a single operation. Its work with mining operations including Lihir, K92 and Simberi demonstrates a diverse national footprint spanning gold and copper production, a range of equipment applications, varied operating conditions and logistical challenges.

Built for remote operations

PNG's geography creates a demanding support environment. Some mine sites are accessible only by air, while others rely on complex road, sea and river transport networks. Mountainous terrain, tropical weather and long supply routes can all affect how quickly technicians and replacements parts reach site.

Cummins PNG General Manager, Cletus Panakkal, said these conditions make local support and forward planning critical to maintaining uptime.

"Our mining customers operate in locations where logistics, weather, parts availability and skilled labour can all have a direct impact on production," Panakkal said.

"Reliable products are essential, but they are only one part of the equation. Customers also need responsive field service, access to the right parts and technical support that understands both the products and the realities of operating in PNG."

Cummins PNG operates branches in Port Moresby and Lae, employing technicians and electricians with the capability to support mining engines and power generation equipment. This local field-service presence enables the business to respond to customer needs within PNG while maintaining close links to site teams.

The business has also invested significantly in local parts availability for mining customers. Holding more critical parts in-country helps improve responsiveness and reduces the risk of extended downtime when equipment is operating far from conventional supply routes.

"Our investment in people and parts is about giving customers greater confidence in the support behind their equipment," Panakkal said.

"We are continuing to build our capacity as the installed fleet grows, while drawing on Cummins' broader regional resources whenever specialist expertise is required."

Local capability, regional strength

Behind PNG is a broader Asia Pacific network of mining specialists, product experts, engineers, technical trainers and Australian Master Rebuild Centres. Together, these resources can support customers from product selection and commisioning through maintenance planning , troubleshooting, overhaul and rebuild.

Clark said combining local relationships and field capability with regional expertise is important in remote mining markets.

"The strength of the Cummins network is that customers can access support close to their operation, backed by specialist capability from across the region," Clark said.

"Whether the requirement involves application engineering, product support, training or a major rebuild, our teams can work together to provide continuity throughout the lifecycle of the equipment. For customers operating in remote locations, that connected support model is a significant advantage."

This support extends across Cummins PNG's mining operations, from engines in mobile equipment and stationary power systems to diesel-powered support equipment and on-highway transport beyond the mine gate.

A century supporting mining

In 2026, Cummins celebrates 100 years in the global mining industry. Over that time, its products have worked in some of the world's toughest operating environments, supported by an approach built around product durability, serviceability and long-term lifecycle support.

Cummins has established a strong presence in PNG over the past 50 years through local capability, long-term customer relationships and continued support for an industry that is vital to the national economy.

For Clark, the expansion of Cummins PNG’s mining footprint confirms both the strength of the sector and the value of Cummins integrated support model.

“PNG shows what mining support looks like when reliable products are combined with capable people on the ground, alongside the resources of a regional and global network,” Clark said.

"As Cummins marks 100 years in mining, we remain focused on helping customers improve reliability, safety and productivity. In PNG, that means continuing to invest in the local capability and support needed to keep operations moving, from put to port."