Cummins Inc. last week announced plans to open a consolidated customer care center in Nashville, Tenn., by the end of 2010. The center is projected to bring more than 200 new jobs to the metropolitan area.

Cummins employees from existing centers in Memphis and Cookeville, Tenn. and from Columbus, Ind., will be relocating to Nashville to kick off the operation, with additional team members being hired from Nashville as the new center grows. Nashville currently is home to Cummins Business Services and the company’s Filtration business.

“We chose Nashville from among two dozen cities based on several factors, including its talented workforce, strong infrastructure and overall quality of living,” said Jim Schacht, executive director of Cummins Business Services. “We wanted a city with a population of 1 to 3 million people that offered a stable economy, a dynamic workforce, and ease of accessibility and Nashville offers all of that.”

The customer care center will respond to calls from Cummins customers throughout the United States. “By consolidating our multiple contact centers into one location, we hope to reach higher levels of customer service and consistency of care,” said Schacht.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ind., Cummins Inc. manufactures, distributes and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems.