Gillette Generators
Factory-direct pricing with non-proprietary OEM components — same engines and controllers as the majors, 15-30% less
Why buyers choose Gillette
- 15-30% less than major brands — factory-direct eliminates distributor markup
- Non-proprietary components — John Deere, Volvo, Mitsubishi engines + Deep Sea Electronics controllers
- 3-7 business day lead times — fastest in the industry for custom-configured units
- UL-2200 / NFPA-110 Level 1 certified — same compliance as premium brands
- Factory-direct parts support — call the factory, talk to an engineer
Who Gillette is for
Cost-conscious commercial and institutional buyers, municipal and wastewater applications, military (Buy American compliance), and buyers who value component independence over brand prestige.
What to consider before specifying Gillette
- Only ~10-15 dealers nationally — limited local service options
- 1-year warranty — shortest in the industry
- No secondary resale market — units have near-zero resale value
- Not on most 'approved equal' lists for large engineering firms
Our recommendation
When budget and lead time matter for industrial diesel standby, we recommend Gillette. Same John Deere and Volvo engines as the major brands, same UL-2200 certification, same Deep Sea Electronics controllers — at 15-30% less, with 3-7 day lead times that the big OEMs can't touch.
Gillette's open architecture is the key differentiator. Non-proprietary components mean any qualified technician can service it — you're never locked into one dealer's service pricing. Factory-direct pricing eliminates the distributor markup that inflates costs on Kohler, CAT, and Cummins units.
Our service experience with Gillette
We pitch Gillette for industrial diesel applications where buyers prioritize value and open-architecture serviceability. The John Deere and Volvo engines are the same platforms we service daily across other brands, so our technicians maintain Gillette units with full confidence.
How Gillette compares
| vs | Gillette advantage |
|---|---|
| Caterpillar | Same-class engines (John Deere, Volvo) at 30-40% less cost with no dealer territory lock-in — CAT's premium buys brand prestige, not better components |
| Cummins | Open-architecture controllers and non-proprietary components vs Cummins' closed ecosystem — service flexibility that Cummins can't offer |
| Generac | Better component quality (John Deere/Volvo engines vs Generac's proprietary G-Force) at comparable pricing, with genuinely open architecture |
| Kohler | The value alternative when Kohler's premium is hard to justify — same UL-2200 compliance, faster lead times, lower acquisition cost |
Gillette Generators is a brand of Cummins Power Generation with roots in the American Midwest generator manufacturing tradition. The lineage traces to the Winpower Manufacturing Company, established in Yankton, South Dakota in the 1960s. Through successive ownership changes and acquisitions, the Gillette generator product line became part of Cummins, where it continues to be manufactured at the Yankton facility. The brand occupies a distinct niche within the Cummins portfolio: portable, light commercial, and PTO generators in the approximately 3 kW to 100 kW range — products that sit below the large commercial and industrial standby generators that carry the Cummins Power Generation name directly.
The product line divides into three categories. The GPE series covers gasoline-powered portable generators for construction sites, emergency backup, and light commercial use. The SPJD series provides diesel-powered units for applications requiring the fuel efficiency and durability advantages of diesel in the light commercial range. The PTO (power take-off) generator lineup is where Gillette has its strongest identity — tractor-driven generators that connect to a standard PTO shaft to produce electricity without a dedicated engine. For agricultural operations across the Midwest and Great Plains, where tractors are already part of daily operations, a Gillette PTO generator provides emergency and supplemental power at a cost well below that of a standalone engine-driven generator of equivalent capacity.
The Cummins ownership means Gillette generators are backed by the Cummins dealer and service network, which is a meaningful advantage over independent assemblers that lack a national service infrastructure. Parts availability, warranty service, and technical support flow through established Cummins channels. For buyers comparing Gillette PTO generators against competitors like Winco, the Cummins backing provides broader dealer coverage, particularly outside the upper Midwest. The trade-off is that Gillette's portable and light commercial lineup does not carry the same depth of product range or feature set as dedicated portable generator brands like Generac or Honda — Gillette's strength is purpose-built ruggedness for agricultural and light commercial applications rather than consumer-oriented features like inverter technology or ultra-quiet enclosures.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Gillette the same company as Cummins Power Generation?
- Gillette Generators is a brand within Cummins Power Generation. The Gillette name traces back to the Winpower Manufacturing Company, founded in the 1960s in Yankton, South Dakota. Through a series of acquisitions, the Gillette generator line became part of Cummins. Manufacturing continues at the original Yankton, South Dakota facility, and units are distributed through the Cummins dealer network.
- What types of generators does Gillette make?
- Gillette specializes in three categories: portable gasoline generators (GPE series), light commercial diesel generators (SPJD series), and PTO (power take-off) generators designed for agricultural use. The PTO generators connect to a tractor's power take-off shaft, producing electricity without a separate engine. The overall range spans approximately 3 kW to 100 kW, with PTO units concentrated in the 15-75 kW range for farm and rural applications.
- What is a Gillette PTO generator?
- A Gillette PTO (Power Take-Off) generator connects to a tractor's rear PTO shaft to generate electricity. Because the tractor provides the prime mover, the generator set does not need its own engine, making it significantly less expensive than a standalone engine-driven unit of equivalent output. PTO generators are a staple of agricultural emergency power — if a farm already has a tractor with adequate horsepower, a PTO generator delivers reliable backup power for livestock operations, grain handling, and rural homes at a fraction of the cost of a self-contained generator.
Key specs at a glance
- Power range
- 25–2000 kW standby
- Fuel types
- natural-gas, lpg, diesel
- Engine OEMs
- PSI, Perkins, Hyundai, John Deere, Mitsubishi, Volvo Penta
- Alternator OEMs
- Stamford, Stamford AVK
- Phase options
- 1-phase, 3-phase
- Models in library
- 50
When to Specify Gillette
- Factory-direct pricing eliminates distributor markup — typically 15-30% below major brands at comparable specs
- Non-proprietary components (John Deere, Volvo, Mitsubishi engines; Deep Sea Electronics controllers) mean any qualified technician can service the unit
- 3-7 business day lead times are the fastest in the industry for custom-configured units
- UL-2200 and NFPA-110 Level 1 certified — same compliance credentials as premium brands at Tier 2 pricing
- Best choice for cost-conscious buyers, municipal and wastewater applications, and military projects requiring Buy American compliance
Gillette Product Families
gillette
SPMI Series (Industrial Diesel - Mitsubishi)
Mitsubishi S-series diesel from 800 kW to 2 MW — factory-direct utility-class standby power.
800–2000 kW
gillette
SP Series (Commercial Gas Standby)
25 kW to 1 MW natural gas and LPG standby — PSI engines, DSE controllers, factory-direct pricing.
25–1050 kW
gillette
SPHD Series (Industrial Diesel - Hyundai)
900 kW diesel standby on Hyundai's high-density V12 — the gap-fill between 800 and 1000 kW.
900 kW
gillette
SPVD Series (Industrial Diesel - Volvo)
250–700 kW Volvo Penta diesel standby — Tier 3 and Tier 2, four voltage options, open-architecture components.
250–700 kW
gillette
T4D Series (Tier 4 Final Prime Diesel)
100–600 kW Tier 4 Final diesel with equal standby and prime ratings — Volvo VE-series with SCR.
100–600 kW
gillette
PR Series (Prime Gas)
80–540 kW natural gas prime power on PSI engines — continuous duty for remote sites, mining, and off-grid operations.
80–540 kW
gillette
SPJD Series (Industrial Diesel - John Deere)
60–210 kW John Deere diesel standby — the most serviced platform in commercial generator applications.
60–210 kW
gillette
SPD Series (Industrial Diesel - Perkins)
30–200 kW Perkins diesel standby — Tier 3 and Tier 4 Interim, globally serviced, factory-direct.
30–200 kW
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