Ford Motor Company The overview of the history of Ford Motor Company started when Henry Ford was one of eight children of William and Mary Ford.
He was born on the family farm near Dearborn, Michigan on July 30, 1863, with only eight years of schooling; he went to Detroit at the age of 16 to work in the machine shops there. Three years later he returned to Dearborn, working part-time for Westinghouse Engine Company and spending the rest of his time in his own machine shop. After marrying Clara Bryant, in 1888, the couple moved back to Detroit.On November 6, 1893 their only child Edsel Bryant was born. A month later Ford was made chief engineer at the main Detroit Edison Company plant.
His first vehicle was completed in 1896, and in a move that was to set him apart from other automotive inventors, he sold the "Quadricycle" to finance work on his second vehicle. Over the next seven years Ford continued his experiments, selling the results, until some of his backers formed the Detroit Automobile Company in 1899, which was subsequently renamed the Henry Ford Company in 1901.However, all his backers eventually deserted him because they wanted to put a car on the market while Ford wanted to perfect a vehicle before marketing it. In 1902 Ford left the company, which subsequently became the Cadillac Motor Car Company. Henry Ford incorporated the Ford Motor Company in 1903 in Detroit, MI.
Not only did Ford revolutionize the development of the automobile as a product, he is also the visionary behind the idea of mass production. Ford's ability to make automobiles affordable for the masses is cited as a driving force behind both the automobile industry and the creation of a middle class in America.The first retail Ford dealership was opened in St. Cloud, MN by Stephen Tenvoorde in 1903. In 1913, the Ford Motor Company manufactured nearly 200,000 cars.
Ford could produce a Model T every forty seconds because the company's engineers focused on "principles of power, accuracy, economy, system, continuity, and speed. ” In 1915 Ford was selling for about $390 and distributing $16,200,000 in dividends to its stockholders. Henry Ford, who had provided the original car and exerted a strong influence over company policy, sought low prices for his cars and high wages for his employees.At the onset of World War I Henry Ford, an adamant peace advocate was on the brink of a great expansionist project on the River Rouge southeast of Dearborn.
His stockholders wanted their dividends instead. Calling the inactive stockholders anti-social parasites, he bought out all of them in 1919 becoming master of his company. Expansion continued throughout the 1920s, carried his industry out to Long Beach in 1927, and led to continued expansion even after the onset of the Great Depression. After World War I, Ford had a new concern.Wartime shortages and price increases demonstrated to him that he needed to control raw materials and transportation. Thus, he purchased a controlling interest in 16 coal mines, 700,000 acres of timberland, a rubber plantation in Brazil, and purchased a fleet of Great Lakes freighters to transport ore from his mines and sand for his newly acquired glass works.
Ford's clinging to the Model T lost him the industry's leadership. The Model A did well, but it was outsold by both the Chevrolet and Plymouth leading Ford to introduce the V-8 in 1932. September 21, 1945, marked a turning point in the Ford Empire.Henry Ford, who had been in charge, and who had been allowing the ex-bodyguard Harry Bennett to take a major role in running the company, finally stepped down.
Ford had been suffering paralytic strokes. Henry Ford II took over as President and at all levels of decision making. Clara Ford and Mrs. Edsel Ford had forced the decision, and within minutes after Henry Ford II was in office and he got rid of Bennett. Getting rid of Bennett's men in the empire took time, and with old management in shambles, post-war machinery needing reconversion, and post-war strikes (none at their own plants) the new President took bold steps.
Feature Article - Ford Motor Financial Ratio AnalysisHe gathered around him a new team and formed new policy. Henry Ford II picked men like Robert McNamara of the Harvard School of Business and a group called the "Whiz Kids" to place Ford back in a position of automotive leadership. Henry Ford died April 7, 1947.
Ford’s core business is automobiles. Some current trends are the Ford Fiesta, Fusion, and Focus, which are all small cars with great gas mileage. Another great trend that has been around for a while is the Ford F-150 truck, which the 2012 was voted the Motor Trend Truck of the Year.Products and services that Ford has are mostly automobiles from small cars up to large semi trucks.
Small cars are great for everyday driving; the trucks are built to last a long time for hauling and also for working in companies such as construction. The Mission for Ford Motor Company is One Mission, One Team, One Plan, One Goal. ONE TEAM: People working together as a lean, global enterprise for automotive leadership, as measured by: Customer, Employee, Dealer, Investor, Supplier, Union/Council, and Community Satisfaction.ONE PLAN: Aggressively restructure to operate profitably at the current demand and changing model mix, Accelerate development of new products our customers want and value, Finance our plan and improve our balance sheet, Work together effectively as one team. ONE GOAL: An exciting viable Ford delivering profitable growth for all. Ford’s industry is in the automotive business building cars, trucks, SUVs, and also Semi trucks for commercial use.
General Motors is Ford Motor Company’s biggest competitor in the Automotive Industry. Ford’s product is automobiles. Price for Ford is 12. 21 compared to GM which is 24. 7 in sales. Place for Ford started in Michigan expanded into Long Beach, CA in 1927.
Now Ford sold around the world. Promotions with Ford are their creations of new automobiles that are more proficient for customers for current day usage and still saving money. References http://fordmotorhistory. com/history/index.
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