By Boris Ladwig, The Republic
bladwig@therepublic.com
Cummins Inc. essentially has to rebuild electronic systems and the fiber optic network at the Columbus Technical Center, and a spokesman feared the floodwaters had caused tens of millions of dollars in damages.
Employees and contractors still are working in three shifts to clean the tech center, though they have made good progress and removed all the water, said Mark Land, director of public relations.
Nonetheless, he said it would "be a while" before the company has full use of the building.
Cummins will ask tech center employees to return to work on Monday, though few will work at the tech center, which employs about 1,100. The company has found about 500 spots throughout its Columbus facilities to set up displaced employees.
Land said the company hopes to have one of the two tech center buildings back in operations by June 23.
Cummins Engine Plant will house many of the displaced employees. Cleanup in the basement is continuing, and Land said the company expected to have 50 percent of its air conditioning capacity next week.
Work has resumed at Cummins Engine Plant.
The Cummins Child Development Center remains closed. Land said likely everything inside will be a loss.
Cleanup also is continuing at the health center, the services of which temporarily are being housed at the Fuel Systems Plant. Cummins has retrieved and secured medical records and is offering tetanus shots primarily to employees who are working in the affected buildings.
The company has not officially announced a damage assessment, but Land said it would be "probably in the tens of millions."
Land also said the company has been impressed with how employees, community and government have pulled together.