Cummins Inc. named Rob Neitzke its new executive director of Cummins’ On-Highway North American Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) business. Neitzke was formerly the leader of the Cummins Westport joint venture which designs, builds and sells natural gas engines.
“Rob brings more than two decades of engineering and leadership experience at Cummins, and a track record of success in everything he’s done,” said Brett Merritt, executive director of the company’s On Highway Business. “I know he’ll bring the same successful approach and focus to this critically important segment of our On-Highway Business.”
While Cummins is global in scope, its work with North American OEMs continues to be a key segment of the company’s business. Cummins, for example, ended 2017 with more than two-thirds of the medium-duty truck market in North America thanks in large part to its business with OEMs. In his new post, Neitzke will drive the company’s OEM relationships in North America from both a commercial and strategic perspective.
In his most recent position, Neitzke led Cummins Westport from 2015 through 2017. Under his leadership, the joint venture saw improvements in quality, reliability and profitability. He also led the successful launch of a popular line-up of low-emission engines.
Before the joint venture, Neitzke, an electrical engineer with a master’s in business administration, led the Cummins Engine business for the Construction market and was part of the first class of Black Belts at the company in Six Sigma, the business improvement tool that has saved Cummins and its customers billions of dollars since its introduction in 2000.
Neitzke used those tools to develop a group country strategy for Cummins’ operations in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus. He was later asked to develop a similar strategy for company operations in Africa.
Neitzke’ s new responsibilities previously fell under Jeff Caldwell, executive director of OEM and Pickup Business. Caldwell is moving to a role ensuring the successful launch of new North American products.
