Cummins Inc. last week announced it will break ground in early 2011 on a multi-phased manufacturing site at the Aegean Free Trade Zone in Izmir, Turkey. The company plans to first build a filtration manufacturing plant and follow with a facility to produce alternators for its power generation business.

Cummins executives joined leaders with Turkey’s Investment Support and Promotion Agency and elected officials in Istanbul to announce the company’s decision.

Production is expected to begin at the 1-million-square-foot site in early 2012 and Cummins expects to employ 800 people in Turkey within five years. Cummins Filtration will open its production facility first, followed by Cummins Generator Technologies, which produces alternators.

Cummins is investing $70 million in the facility and related production equipment, with 85 percent of the products made in Turkey to be exported to Cummins’ customers across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

Cummins chose the site in Turkey after a thorough selection process that gave consideration to more than 20 locations in Northern Africa, Europe and Asia. The facility will complement similar Cummins production and logistics facilities in France, Belgium and the U.K.

“Turkey is literally at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and Africa and this location will be in the middle of some of Cummins’ strongest markets,” said Joseph Saoud, president – Cummins Filtration. “We have worked closely with the Turkish Investment Support and Promotion Agency since early in the process and have been delighted with their support and enthusiasm for this project.

“Turkey is a well established manufacturing center, with many capable suppliers and a large and expanding customer base. Turkey also has a young, growing labor force that we expect to continue to be cost competitive for many years to come.”

Headquartered in Columbus, Ind., Cummins Inc. is a corporation of complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute and service engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems.