general information
"Ford Motor" Ford motor Company, an American automobile company specializing in the production of cars brands "Ford", "Mercury", "Lincoln", trucks, various agricultural machinery. Ford owns Jaguar.
The headquarters is located in Dearborn (Michigan), near which was once the farm of Henry Ford's parents.
Corporation History
The company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903 and, according to the idea of its creator, was immediately intended for the production of a mass cheap car. Initially, this was the "A" model, in 1908 - the "T" model, dubbed "tin Lizzie" by cartoonists. The success of the new model was so great that the ever-expanding Ford factories could not cope with orders. In the first year of production of this model, 10,660 cars were sold, which broke all records in the automotive industry of that time.
In Ford Motor in 1913, for the first time in the world, a method of standardizing interchangeable parts of products and a conveyor technology for assembling cars were introduced in production, which made it possible to increase labor productivity by 40-60% in just one year.
By the middle of 1914, 500,000 Model Ts had been produced; by 1923, every second car in America was made at the Ford Motor factories.
In 1922, the Ford Motor Company acquired the Lincoln Company, the management of which was entrusted to Edsel Ford. The older Ford's authoritarian management style becomes a favorite target of the leftist press, and Ford's refusal to tolerate unions in his factories sparks a campaign of real harassment. However, by the end of the 1920s, Americans were tired of the monotonous “T” model. Competitors from General Motors are breaking ahead, Ford Motor responds with the Ford A model, the popularity of which still lags behind Chevy and Buicks.
The Great Depression of 1929 drastically reduced car sales. Wages are cut in half.
In 1932, the beginning of mass production of V-shaped 8-cylinder engines. Ford Motor Company becomes the first company to produce a monolithic 8-cylinder block. The Ford car and its reliable engine have become the favorites of practical Americans.
The line of Mercury cars, launched in 1938, was successful. The company is nominally run by Edsel Ford, but his authority cannot be compared to that of his father. Business begins to stagnate, which lasted until the outbreak of World War II, when military orders improved things.
From 1942 to 47, the production of civilian vehicles stopped abruptly, as the company directed all its efforts to military needs.
After the brief reign of old Ford (Edsel died in 1943), power passed to Henry Ford II in 1945, who breathed new life into the company.
Ford Jr. reorganizes the recruitment system, uses brainstorming methods known to him from the war to develop the firm's strategy, inviting a group of system analysts.
In 1949 Ford Motor Company sells approximately 807,000 vehicles, almost doubling its sales. Henry Ford II's reorganization program quickly restored the health of the company. The result was the construction of 44 manufacturing plants, 18 assembly plants, 32 parts depots, two huge test sites and 13 engineering and research laboratories in the USA.
The launch of the Thunderbird series in 1955 and the now classic Mustang strengthened Ford Motor's financial position. The attractive 1965 4-seat Mustang became America's darling. In the first 100 days, 100,000 of these machines were sold.
In 1968, the first 1.6-litre Escort Twin Cam launched its racing career, successfully opening the season and winning circuits in Ireland, the Danish Tulip, the Austrian Alps, the Acropolis and the Scottish Rally for eight weeks. By the end of its first season, the Escort had won the famous 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland, helping Ford secure a strong position in the World New Car Rally Championship.
The Western European model Ford Taunus / Cortina was very common in the 1970s and 1980s. The production of the station wagon (Kombi) Ford Taunus / Cortina family began in 1970.
Since 1976, with the launch of the new generation Ford Econoline E-series hooded cargo-passenger models, chassis elements, engines and transmissions similar to the F-series SUVs and pickups began to be used. In 1992, a new range of comfortable 7-, 8-, 12- and 15-seater all-metal minibuses and four-door vans with a body.
The Fiesta family has been around for over 20 years - the first generation appeared back in 1976. The life path of models current generation, which began at the Geneva Motor Show-89, is nearing sunset. For 11 years, the Fiesta family has undergone a serious restyling twice (in 1995 and 1999), thanks to which it remains quite modern to this day.
Crown Victoria is one of the most popular models in the USA (in the police, taxi, rental, in the secondary market).
The 1980 Bgonco full-size station wagon was an all-wheel drive pickup truck with a shortened base. The cross-country ability turned out to be quite high, so the model remained popular for a long time (in particular, in Alaska), even after the appearance of more modern models.
Ford Escort is produced in the USA and Europe, as well as in Argentina in three body styles. American Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx continued until the summer of 1990. They were replaced by models developed on the platform Japanese Mazda 323.
In September 1982, models of the rear-wheel drive Sierra family with five-door hatchback and station wagon bodies (Kombi) appeared on sale, and the start of production of a three-door all-wheel drive model (XR4x4).
In November 1986, the launch of the 4x4 version of the Ford Scorpio. At the very end of 1991, a presentation roomy station wagon Scorpio Turnir. In the summer of 1998, the production of Scorpio was stopped, and the European branch of Ford decided to make the Mondeo model the flagship of the company.
Since the mid-1980s, Taurus has been produced. This model was named Car of the Year 1986, and in 1987 it became a bestseller in America. The streamlined, futuristic-looking cars, beautifully named Taurus and Sable, were a milestone in Ford's transition to a new generation of 1980s vehicles that were fuel-efficient, high-tech, and aesthetically perfect.
In the same year, the purchase of 75% of the company's shares took place. Aston Martin Lagonda.
The purchase of the Jaguar company in 1990 further increases the range of Ford models, which in terms of comfort do not resemble the “tin Lizzy” in any way, and a year later for the release of a multi-purpose car Ford Galaxy established a joint venture with the German Volkswagen Corporation.
The company is open to innovation and change; it is interesting that Ford Motor, a pioneer in the introduction of the conveyor, is the first among large corporations and abandoned it, since modern workers are more productive in doing work in which there is an element of independent creativity.
In 1993, the Ford Mondeo model was released, which immediately set new safety standards in its class. The very next year, this car was recognized as the Car of the Year in Europe and became a favorite among buyers.
In the same year, the purchase of the remaining shares of Aston Martin-Lagonda took place.
The Ford Windstar was first shown in January 1994. In 1998, the model was restyled. Produced in Canada.
The first show of the Ford EUROPE Galaxy took place in February 1995 in Geneva. At the Geneva Motor Show 2000, a modernized model with an updated design was presented.
In 1996, the 250 millionth car rolled off the assembly line of the company. The implementation of the Ka model has begun.
Ford Europe Puma, sports coupe small class, created on the basis of the Ford Fiesta, was first presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1997.
Ford Focus, which, according to a long tradition, bears the name Turnier. The European premiere of the hatchback took place in early 1998 in Geneva.
In 1998, Ford Motor Company becomes the 2nd largest car and truck manufacturer in the world in terms of total.
In 2000, an international jury of 126 automotive journalists, summing up the results of the unprecedented Car of the Century competition (“Car of the Century”), chose the legendary Ford T. which was established on the assembly line on a massive scale. It was the conveyor assembly that made the car a means of transportation accessible to everyone. And the first in a row really production cars was a Ford model.
Compact Ford SUV The Escape was first shown as a prototype in January 2000 in Detroit. The development was carried out jointly with Mazda. Car production is carried out at a plant in Kansas City.
Ford EUROPE Maverick, compact four-wheel drive SUV, European equivalent Ford Escape. Since 2000, it has been produced jointly with Mazda on the basis of the Mazda Tribute. The new Ford Maverick combines the hallmarks of an SUV and a road car.
2001 - the company introduces a fundamentally new Ford Mondeo model. Its appearance can be considered a revolutionary event. This car, developed by the European division of Ford Motor Company, was created on the basis of fundamentally new design technologies. The essence of this technical revolution- in a powerful software product called SZR, which is a complex of computer design systems, computer-aided design and an extensive information database. One of latest models presented by the company - Ford Focus Coupe-Cabriolet.
Today, Ford Motor Company has its own production, assembly and sales centers in 30 countries around the world. The company annually produces millions of cars, trucks and tractors and is a leader automotive sales outside of North America. Ford Motor Company sells more than 70 different models of cars worldwide, produced under the brands Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Jaguar and Aston Martin. The company also has a stake in Mazda Motor Corporation and Kia Motors n.Corporatio
In the "big three" of the American automobile business, Ford Motor occupies an honorable second place in terms of sales.
Ford in Ukraine
The official distributor of Ford cars in Ukraine is Winner Imports Ukraine (Winner Imports Ukraine), which was one of the first to work on the Ukrainian automotive market as an official distributor.
In 1991, one of the leaders of Ford offered Ivan Ginyansky, the owner of Winner dealerships in Delaware and Pennsylvania (USA), to open another one in Ukraine. The prospect of helping Ford create a dealer network in Ukraine interested Ginyansky.
In late 1992, Winner was appointed as the official distributor of Ford Motor Co. in Ukraine. Dealerships were opened and service centers throughout the territory of Ukraine.
In 1872, the son of an Irish immigrant fell off his horse while working on his father's farm near Dearborn, Michigan, USA. It was on this day that he decided to create such vehicle, which would not cause suffering and would be more reliable than vehicles using animal power. That bad rider was Henry Ford.
Subsequently, Henry and his eleven enthusiastic friends raised a hefty sum of $28,000 and on June 16, 1903, filed an application to organize an industrial enterprise in the state of Michigan.
Ford Motor Company began its production activities, and as a result, a "gasoline sidecar" driven by an 8 hp engine was created, called "Model A".
Ten years after that, Ford was known around the world as a genius who gave the world the Ford T a car accessible to everyone. Ford Motor Company was the first to introduce the conveyor. Thanks to this technical novelty Henry Ford reduced the cost of the Tin Lizzy from $850 to $290.
What is the secret of Ford Motor Company's hundred years of success? When creating the company, Henry Ford dreamed of a car whose cost would not exceed the annual salary of those ordinary workers who assembled cars at a factory in Detroit.
Ford has gone through many changes in its 100 years of history. However, the belief that people should have accessible, reliable and modern cars, remained unchanged.
Henry Ford was born in Springfield, Michigan on July 30, 1863. He was the eldest of six children of William and Mary Ford (William; Mary Ford), who owned a prosperous farm. Henry spent his childhood on his parents' farm, where he helped his family and attended a regular rural school.
At the age of 12, Henry equipped a small workshop, where he enthusiastically spent all his free time. It was there that a few years later he designed his first steam engine.
In 1879, Henry Ford moved to Detroit, where he got a job as an assistant machinist. Three years later, Ford moved to Dearborn and spent five years designing and repairing steam engines, moonlighting from time to time at a plant in Detroit. In 1888 he married Clara Jane Bryant and soon took over as manager of a sawmill.
In 1891, Ford became an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company, and two years later was appointed the company's chief engineer. Good salary and enough free time allowed Ford to devote more time to the development of internal combustion engines.
Ford assembled the first internal combustion engine in the kitchen of his home. Soon he decided to put the engine on a frame with four bicycle wheels. So in 1896, the ATV appeared - a vehicle that became the first Ford car.
After retiring in 1899 from the Edison Illuminating company, Henry Ford founded his own company, Detroit Automobile. Despite the fact that the company went bankrupt a year later, Ford managed to assemble several racing cars. Ford himself took part in motor racing and in October 1901 managed to defeat the American champion Alexander Winton (Alexander Winton).
The Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903. Its founders were twelve businessmen from Michigan, led by Henry Ford, who held a 25.5% stake in the company and served as vice president and chief engineer of the company.
Under car factory converted a former van factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit. Brigades, consisting of two or three workers, under the direct supervision of Ford, assembled cars from spare parts that were made to order by other enterprises.
The company's first car was sold on July 23, 1903. First creation of Ford became a "petrol sidecar" driven by an 8 hp engine, dubbed Model A. The car was described as "the most advanced car on the market, which even a 15-year-old boy can drive." In 1906, Henry Ford became the company's president and principal owner.
The first oval Ford logo appeared in 1907 thanks to the first British representatives of the company Perry (Perry), Thornton (Thornton) and Schreiber (Schreiber). As part of an advertising campaign, it was presented as a "stamp of the highest standard", designed to symbolize reliability and economy.
For the next five years, Henry Ford directed the overall development and production program. During this time, 19 letters of the alphabet were used from Model A to Model S. Some of these models remained at the experimental level, not reaching the end user.
In 1908, Henry Ford made his dream come true with the Model T. The Tin Lizzy, as the Americans affectionately called it, became the most famous car in the history of the auto industry.
Its base price was $ 260, and within just one year, about 11 thousand of these machines were sold. It was the appearance of the Model T that marked the beginning of a new era in the development personal transport.
Ford's car was easy to drive, it did not require complex Maintenance and could even drive on rural roads.
From that moment on, the car became the subject of mass production, the demand for which is constantly growing.
At the same time, machines for various services: pickup trucks, delivery vehicles, ambulances, delivery vans and small buses.
To meet the growing needs of customers, as well as increase productivity, Ford is introducing for the first time in its factories conveyor production, in which each worker performs one operation, remaining in one place. As a result of the innovation, another Model T rolled off the assembly line every 10 seconds, and the moving conveyor became a new, significant stage in the industrial revolution.
In 1919, Henry Ford and his son Edsel (Adsel Ford) bought the company's shares from other shareholders for $105,568,858 and became the sole owners of the company. In the same year, Edsel inherited from his father the presidency of the company, which he held until his death in 1943. After the sudden death of his son Henry Ford again had to stand at the helm of the company.
The Model A, released in 1927, was the first Ford car to feature an oval emblem on the grille. Until the very end of the 50s, most Ford cars were produced with the well-known dark blue badge these days. Although the oval badge was approved as the official emblem of Ford, it was not put on cars until the mid-70s.
The fast pace of life constantly required capacity building and implementation unique technologies. Developing with the rhythm of the times, Ford Motor Company was ready to show off its latest achievements.
On April 1, 1932, the company introduced the V-shaped 8-cylinder engine to the public. Ford was the first company to produce a monolithic 8-cylinder block. Cars with such an engine became the favorites of practical Americans for a long time.
Already in 1934, on rural farms and on the streets of large cities, trucks Ford, equipped with a completely modified engine.
At this time, the problem of car safety is becoming more and more urgent. Henry Ford does not ignore this topic. For the first time, safety glasses are being used at its factories, constant work is underway to reduce the risk to human life caring for a person has always been and remains the most important aspect general company policy. Car enthusiasts and ordinary citizens pay generously for such care with their commitment and love for Ford.
The famous brand is gaining popularity not only in America, but throughout the world. During this period, Ford has a huge network of factories and stores throughout America, opens branches in Europe and Russia. Thousands of cars find their owners all over the world. The brand becomes truly popular.
In September 1945, Henry Ford transferred powers to his eldest grandson, Henry Ford II. In May 1946, Henry Ford Sr. was awarded an honorary award for services to the auto industry, and at the end of the same year, the American Petroleum Institute (American Petroleum Institute) presented him with a gold medal for services to society.
Henry Ford died at the age of 83 at his home in Dearborn on April 7, 1947. Thus, an entire era in the history of the Ford Motor Company ended, which, despite the death of its founder, continued to develop actively.
But the grandson continues the work of his grandfather with dignity. On June 8, 1948, the new 1949 Ford model was unveiled at the New York Show. Its main features smooth side panels, independent front suspension and opening rear side windows.
The integration of the body and fenders was a novelty that set the standard automotive design. In 1949, Ford sold about a million of these cars, reaching the highest sales since 1929.
The company's profits are also growing at a tremendous rate. This led to an increase in production facilities: new production and assembly plants, test sites, engineering research laboratories.
New types of activities are being developed: financial business Ford Motor Company, Insurance American Road Insurance Company, automatic replacement spare parts Ford Parts and Service Division, electronics, computers, space technology and much more.
And finally, in January 1956, the Ford Motor Company went public. joint stock company. The company currently has about 700,000 shareholders.
The focus of attention in the 60s is the youth. In accordance with the mood in society, Ford is rapidly reorienting its production to the creation of inexpensive sports cars intended for the young buyer.
It was then, in 1964, that the Mustang was presented to the public for the first time. The most important feature novelty was the use of a new engine, which combined two units transmission and drive axle. It was favorably distinguished by its appearance an original combination of all modern design trends of the 50-60s.
Such keen interest, which this car aroused, was not observed since the Model A. In the first hundred days, one hundred thousand four-seaters were sold mustang cars. The company's profits exceeded all expected results.
Encouraged by the success, Ford continues to develop original designs, while using the most innovative trends and developments in the automotive industry. Their work was embodied in models like the Corina and the Transit van.
But not only profit worried the employees and management of the Ford Motor Company. The fight for safety continues.
So, in 1970, Ford becomes the first serial manufacturer to introduce front disc brakes.
Since 1976, the legendary oval Ford emblem with a blue background and silver letters has been placed on absolutely all cars of the company, so that Ford products can be easily recognized anywhere in the world.
The conditions of fierce competition, especially aggravated during this period, encourage Ford specialists to introduce new technologies in other areas Special attention given to fuel economy. The goal of the designers is to create a world-class leader in the middle and executive segments of the market. The result was the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sebale.
It should be noted that Taurus was created as a car, every detail of which is brought to perfection. Efforts paid off Taurus was recognized as the car of 1986, and a year later became a bestseller in America.
Ford's next innovations were the Mondeo, as well as a modified Mustang. 1994 premieres also included the Ford Espire and the Windstar minibus.
Then North America saw the revised Ford Taurus and Mercury Tracer, showing the first big changes in car design that hit the market in the late 80s. In Europe, a modified F-series pickup was also introduced, new Fiesta and Galaxy minivans.
The main goal of the company is the constant improvement of its products while reducing production costs. The results were world cars.
Currently, over 70 different models of cars are sold worldwide, produced under the brands Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, and Aston Martin. Ford also has equity interests in Mazda Motor Corporation and Kia Motors Corporation.
On July 9, 2002, a new Ford Motor Company plant with a full production cycle was officially opened in the city of Vsevolzhsk, Leningrad Region.
The history of this legendary automaker began back in 1903, when Henry Ford founded a small company with eleven partners. Ford Motor Company. The starting capital was $28,000, which was raised thanks to various investors. Ford already had a wealth of experience in engineering, racing and business. True, his first company Detroit Automobile(1899-1900) went bankrupt, having managed, however, before that to release several racing monsters, which simply had no equal on the tracks of those years.
Negative sales experience is fabulous expensive cars was not in vain - Ford has now decided to start producing cars that would be available to the average consumer. The first product was the Ford Model A, a small "gasoline sidecar". And in 1908, the legendary Ford T was born, which was destined to "put all of America behind the wheel." The car was initially quite affordable, and after the introduction in 1913 at factories Ford Motor Company conveyor assembly, has become even cheaper. In Europe, the First World War rumbled with might and main, and in the USA, another Ford T model left the factory gates every ten seconds. The concept of “Ford conveyor” will become a household word, a symbol of monotonous and almost slave labor (especially in the USSR).
Ford T quickly becomes a real legend. The people dubbed him "Tin Lizzy" ("Tin Lizzy"). The car was produced in the most various modifications bodies (their number was not just large, but huge - the car was adapted literally for everything, from a pleasure roadster and a two-door sedan to a tow truck and a cattle carrier). Ford T was as simple as possible and, as a result, very reliable. A joke went around the country, about how a certain owner of this car repaired his junk miracle by buying a variety of junk from a junk dealer. By the way, Ford understood perfectly well how important it was to provide consumers with spare parts and paid a lot of attention to this issue, which once again had a positive effect on the popularity of the “T” model. "Tin Lizzie" was produced until 1927.
In addition to the legendary “T”, other models rolled off the assembly lines, many of which served as role models for other companies. So it was Ford cars that formed the basis of the products that he began to produce. GAS.
The Second World War brought with it military orders. The production of civilian cars was stopped, all production facilities were put into production military equipment, including tanks and aircraft. Henry Ford was not considered a trustworthy citizen, having managed to earn a lot of unflattering characteristics. He openly expressed his pro-Nazi views, was a staunch anti-Semite and a member of the Ku Klux Klan. However, he was also the owner of the largest factories in the country, so the military turned a blind eye to his past. However, in 1946, Ford will still be awarded prestigious awards for services to industry and the country. It happened just before the death of the founder Ford Motor Company, which overtook him in 1947, after which the management of the company passed into the hands of Henry Ford II - the grandson of Henry Ford.
Ford's death did not affect the development of the company in any way. She continued to develop at an accelerated pace, turning into a truly respected and even legendary. One after another, models appear that in the very first years of production become very popular, real bestsellers, experiencing reincarnations, one after another (a classic example is Mustang). For many Americans (and not only for them) Ford has become synonymous with the concept of "great car".
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| Ford Thunderbird 1964 (image from here) |
Headquarters Ford Motor Company is located near Detroit, in Dearborn, Michigan, USA (Dearborn, Michigan, USA). The company is one of the three largest car manufacturers in the world. The widest range of products is produced - cars of different sizes, purposes and costs. great attention given and various types racing. Representative offices and factories of the company are scattered around the world.
Brands
In 1958 Ford Motor Company produced cars under the brand Edsel. It was an attempt to offer the buyer a prestigious, but fairly affordable car. The attempt is extremely unsuccessful - in 1960 production Edsel that enjoyed extremely little demand was curtailed. Ford lost millions of dollars on it, and Edsel became synonymous with failure.
In 1986, an English brand was acquired Aston Martin Lagonda. The purchase was not very successful and in 2007 they got rid of it by selling it to a consortium of investors, led by the company Prodrive.
Also unsuccessful was the purchase in 1990 Jaguar and in 2000 Land Rover. They went to the Indian Tata Motors in 2008.
Things did not go too well in the case of Volvo Cars, acquired in 1999 and sold in 2010 by the Chinese Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
From the brand founded in 1939 Mercury, under which cars of the middle price category were produced, it was also decided to refuse. The brand ceased to exist in 2010.
The brand has existed for several years. Merkur- from 1985 to 1989. It was sold mainly in the US and Canada, although a few models still reached Europe.
Subscribe toIn this section, we will study the history of the creation and development of well-known world brands. We will understand what helped great companies become such, what is at the heart of their mission and values. What principles of success were laid down in them by the founders, etc.
I am a young entrepreneur, I have several business projects and I want these projects to grow and become no less outstanding than those companies that will understand this rubric.
To do this, I decided not to invent a wheel, but to follow in the footsteps of the greats. And we'll start with the Ford Motor Company, or Ford in common.
Go ahead - the slogan of the legendary brand Ford Motor Company. To understand what the Ford people mean by this concept, watch a short but very effective promotional video below:
Ford Motor Company ranks second in terms of vehicle production in Europe, third in the US market and fourth in the world. Under the Ford brand, the company produces models of passenger cars and commercial vehicles, and it also owns the Lincoln trademark.
The enterprises of the legendary American automobile manufacturer are located in 65 countries - in the USA, Canada, Argentina, Spain, China, Russia, etc.
The total number of employees employed by Ford Motor is about 171,000. The company's sales for 2012 amounted to more than 130 billion dollars!
In the list of the largest public companies, according to Forbes magazine, Ford Motor Company ranks 4th in its industry, behind the top three - German companies Volkswagen Group and Daimler (1st and 3rd places) and Japanese Toyota motor.
Ford Motor is one of largest companies in a single-family-run world, the Fords own about 40% of the shares. The company's publicly traded securities are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The cost of one share is about $2 (April 2013).
According to Forbes, the company's market capitalization in 2013 reached over $51 billion!
But the history of Ford Motor is interesting not only with financial indicators, but also with interesting facts. It was this company that first used the classic auto assembly line, and this, of course, is the merit of its legendary founder.
In 2013, the company celebrates its 110th anniversary, and this period exceeds the life expectancy of an average person! Ford Motor Company is a real dinosaur of the automotive industry.
What is her secret to longevity and success? Let's try to figure it out
The company's headquarters is located in Dearborn (Michigan), where it was born on July 30, 1863. As they say, where he was born - there he came in handy, in 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Henry Ford, and his life's work is still developing and flourishing.
Now "at the helm" of the modern automotive industry is William Ford Jr., the great-grandson of Henry Ford, who is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ford Motor. In 2001, he headed the company, whose losses at that time amounted to about 5 billion dollars.
Ford Jr. was able to bring her to three years, moreover, it was he who invited Alan Mulally, a talented manager who managed to find the right company strategy in the 3rd millennium, to the position of president of the company.
Competitive costs, high quality, benefit to society - these are the basic principles of company management that Henry Ford bequeathed, and his descendant is still guided by the great-grandfather's success formula.
These thoughts I have already adopted. For example, one of my areas is training and the provision of educational and consulting services. I have work to do here. I want to make sure that I have the highest quality services.
This is an issue that needs serious consideration. I constantly ask myself: “How can I improve my services? What is the best way to serve a customer? What else can I do to make a person get more for the same price?”
In another project (online store mistersaver.ru) I also try to apply these principles. The very direction of energy-saving technologies was chosen by me because it is possible to benefit society here. Unfortunately, I cannot answer for the high quality of the goods, since I am not a manufacturer. But I still try to reduce the risks of my clients.
For example, we have a 45-day product test drive. During this time, the client can try the solutions we offer, and if they disappoint him, then we return the money.
In general, when posing the above questions, you can come up with many interesting solutions. But let's get back to the Fords.
How did the history of the family business begin?
The Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903 by Michigan entrepreneurs, who held a 25.5% stake in the newly created enterprise. A van factory in Detroit was converted into a car plant.
Under the leadership of Ford, who is both vice president and chief engineer, workers assembled cars from parts supplied by other factories. Already in July 1903, the Ford Motor Company sold its first car.
At the time, the company only assembled "to order" cars, and Ford faced a shortage of skilled workers to produce "hand-built" cars. He decided to standardize car parts so that even non-specialists could assemble them.
In 1908, the plant produced the Ford-T model, a reliable and inexpensive car. Ford introduces an uninterrupted line for assembling Ford-T in the shops; thanks to conveyor lines, car production reaches a record level - new car rolls off the assembly line every 10 seconds! Innovation at Ford Motor serves as the starting point for the development of mass production throughout the world.
Ford's product "Ford-T" boosts America's economy - in 1909, the authorities construct a mile-long section of concrete on a street in Detroit, which marked the beginning of mass road construction.
In 2008 in Richmond (Indiana) within the framework of the 100-yearanniversary car "Ford-T»the party was over« T-Party”, which set itself the goal of entering the Guinness Book of Records in terms of the number of cars of this particular model that took part in it. According to rough estimates, out of 15 million cars produced by the company from 1908 to 1927, almost one hundred thousand cars have survived today!
Some Ford-Ts got to their holiday on their own - one of the "anniversaries" ran almost 3000 km on his four wheels! Here's to you Museum exhibit! Such a "race" can be the envy of a modern car.
In 1999, more than 120 experts from 32 countries rightfully called the Ford T the most important car XX century!
In 1919, Henry Ford and his son Edsel buy out the company's shares from other shareholders and become the sole owners of Ford Motor. In the same year, Edsel inherits the management of the company.
In 1927, when sales of the beloved, but already obsolete Ford-T are not profitable, Ford stops production and starts creating a new car. In 1927, he introduced the new Ford A model, which stood out favorably for its design and technical parameters.
With the entry of the United States into the Second world war, Ford Motor begins to produce jeeps and trucks for the army - the company "forgave" the pro-Nazi sympathies of its founder, when in the 30s. in Germany, Ford organized the production of tracked and wheeled vehicles for the Wehrmacht.
In 1943, after the sudden death of his son, Henry Ford again returned to the presidency, and in September 1945 he transferred powers to his eldest grandson, Henry Ford II.
With the death of the company's founder in 1947, an era ends for Ford Motor. But, despite the death of its legendary mastermind, the company continues to develop actively.
Today Ford is one of the most famous brands in the world, and the company's famous oval logo has been around for over half a century! The Ford Motor brand emblem has changed several times. The first logo was invented by an assistant of Henry Ford, but after a few years it was changed, in 1906 trademark acquired new features - the "flying" spelling of the first and last letters of the company's name emphasized the rapid movement forward.
In 1907, thanks to the English representatives of the company, an oval logo appears, symbolizing the “mark of the highest standard” - efficiency and reliability.
In 1911, the company's emblem was finally established - the oval shape of the logo was combined with a "flying" spelling. The first car with this badge on the grille was the Ford A.
Since 1976, the Ford emblem in the form of an oval with a blue background and silver letters has been placed on all cars of the company.
In 2003, in honor of the 100th anniversary of Ford Motor, the design of the famous Ford badge was slightly changed - the logo was given the features of the very first historical emblems.
However, in the 21st century, the company did not limit itself to redesigning the logo. The company's strategy has undergone major changes.
Previously, Ford Motor was geographically divided into three structures: Ford North America, Ford Asia Pacific and Ford of Europe. Each of these divisions had its own model range, different models were used for cars of regional markets. technical solutions and design.
However, company president Alan Mulally, who took over Ford Motor in September 2006, announced a new strategic direction, One Ford, that same year. A change in strategy was required in order to save the company from ruin - its losses at that time amounted to about 17 billion dollars.
The key idea of One Ford was that the company is gradually starting to produce cars that are common to all markets - the world is becoming global and it needs global cars. An example of such a "world" car was the Ford Focus III, built on single platform.
As part of the new strategy, the company sells its luxury brands - Aston Martin, Jaguar, Volvo. During the crisis, it was necessary to make the company simpler, and since 85% of its business was provided by the Ford brand, all efforts and means are thrown precisely to save it.
In 2010, the company produced about 45 car models; according to the president of the company, this figure is planned to be reduced to 20-25.
To unite the company's regional divisions into "One Ford", Mulally managed to reconstruct the information division and raise its authority: for the first time in the history of Ford Motor, the director of the IT department entered the board of directors and began to report directly to the CEO.
The factory in Dearborn, the hometown of Henry Ford, was also able to survive the economic crisis. Previously, the enterprise was idle for weeks, but competent management and the production of Ford Focus F150 pickups allowed the plant to survive difficult times without government injections.
The Dearborn plant is huge, with an area of about 220,000 m 2 , and from the beginning to the end of the assembly line stretches almost 7 km of conveyors, winding through the plant like a giant rollercoaster. Currently, the plant assembles about 1,200 vehicles daily, each of which contains more than 3,000 different spare parts.
Speaking of spare parts, I recall an anecdote: "Due to the need to increase the share of Russian components in Ford Focus cars, Ford decided to increase the number of rubber mats to eight."
It seems to me that if you are guided by the principle of Henry Ford in your work - "quality is doing something right, even when no one is looking" - then there will certainly be something to offer besides rugs)
In the 3rd millennium, Ford Motor is actively changing, its slogans are transforming along with it. The first advertising slogan, which appeared in 1914, read "Ford: The Universal Car" ("Ford: The Universal Car"). universal car»).
Among the most successful advertising slogans, it is worth noting such as “Towards Change” and “Reliable. Made for life"
Now the slogans in North America (“Drive One” / “Take it and go”) and Europe (“Feel the Difference” / “Feel the difference”) have been replaced by a global formula for promoting the “one Ford”, sounding like “Go futher” / “ Walk straight".
For the first time this call appeared in the New Year's greetings of the head of Ford, addressed to all the staff. A single slogan will now sound on all advertising materials of the company.
By the way, the company's team is highly motivated for an excellent result; and if Anton Chekhov was convinced that “everything in a person should be perfect: face, clothes, soul, and thoughts”, then Ford Motor specialists are convinced that everything in a car should also be perfect - from fuel technology to interior design .
To guarantee the excellent appearance of their products, the company has a special laboratory, The Visual Performance Evaluation Lab.
About 300 light bulbs with a total power of 6 kW are located in the laboratory, with the help of which various phases of the earth's revolution around the Sun are simulated. May occur reasonable question- what does the luminary have to do with the development of Ford vehicles?
The fact is that the appearance of the car and its interior changes depending on the lighting and time of day; to track these changes and minimize unwanted effects (for example, reflections on the instrument panel), the company conducts such tests. You can see how the lab works here:
Ford Motor Company takes an active part in sports competitions around the world. Its main focus in motorsport is the Formula Ford Championship, which stands out among single-seater racing events with its long and interesting history.
Since its inception in 1967, Formula Ford has become a real "forge of personnel" - it was in it that such later famous racing drivers as James Hunt, Jenson Baton, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen, Michael Schumacher and others gained experience.
The company is closely associated with Formula 1 racing: it supplied engines for racing cars of this series for 4 decades, from 1967 to 2004. And the modified Ford GT model became the fastest car in the world that can travel on public roads - reaching a speed of 455.80 km / h, it was included in the Guinness Book of Records.
Ford Motor has also competed in the World Rally Championship since its inception in 1973 and has its own rally team.
On my own behalf, I would like to add that I would really like to create a business that would become for me and my employees not only a job, but also an interesting hobby. It's fun to do something not only for the sake of money, but also for the sake of pleasure, adrenaline, beauty, grace, etc.
The Ford GT is a cool car. I would love to ride it. And even better participated in the competition. I am a gambling person. I have been involved in sports since childhood. And I like the feeling of competition and the spirit of victory!
The company boasts not only the speed characteristics of its cars, but also their sales volumes. In 2012, the Ford Fiesta was named the second best-selling car in Europe by the analytical agency JATO Dynamics.
Concerning Russian market, then Ford in 2006 becomes the sales leader among foreign brands. History of Ford Motor in Russia begins as early as 1907; after the revolution of 1917, it continued its activities in our territory.
At the end of the 20s. a contract was concluded with the leadership of the USSR, according to which the Americans provided drawings of two cars, their assistance in the construction of an automobile plant and the training of workers. The first cars of the new plant in Nizhny Novgorod- GAZ-A and GAZ-AA - were licensed "clones" of Ford cars.
In 1996 Ford sales office opens in Moscow. A subsidiary of Ford Motor in the Russian Federation owns an automobile plant in Vsevolozhsk (Leningrad Region), opened in 2002. The company carries out body welding, painting and final assembly Ford cars Focus III and Ford Mondeo (since 2009). In a prele 2006 this s The plant produced the 100,000th Ford Focus.
During 2007, more than 175,000 Ford vehicles were sold in Russia, about 90,000 of which were Focus models.
Celebrate Success Focus car, which sells well not only in Russia, the company decided in a very original way - by ordering an ice sculpture of its car on a 1: 1 scale.
The mass of the ice car exceeded 6 tons, which is more than five masses of real Ford Focus (the curb weight of the car is 1.3 tons). This transparent sculpture was demonstrated at the British International Motor Show.
However, Ford Motor sees its mission not only in obtaining large profits from sales.
The company is focused on building a strong business that makes products that improve the world. Ford Motor backs up its pathetic statement with very concrete deeds. The company takes an active position in the field of protection environment, in area green technologies she can be called a real pioneer .
IN European cars Ford used over 250 non-metallic components containing recycled materials, which allows 14,000 tons less waste to be sent to landfills annually.
Ford Motor is developing gasoline and diesel engines to do even more. The new Ford Mondeo, for example, is equipped with diesel engine 1.8 liter capacity and is more fuel efficient than the same 1993 model, producing 20% less carbon dioxide.
Already today the company offers the widest choice green cars . Any driver knows that a vehicle and alcohol are incompatible things. However, under the hood of Ford Flexifuel and Ford C-MAX Flexifuel these concepts "made friends" - after all, they do not run on gasoline, but on E85 fuel, which consists of 85% biethanol alcohol.
Bioethanol is obtained from natural products such as wood waste, wheat, sugar beets, etc., i.e. from renewable raw materials. This fuel technology reduces CO 2 emissions into the atmosphere by 30-80% compared to gasoline engines, so these Ford Motor models can be safely called green cars.
Another pride of Ford Motor is the car plant in Dagenham (southeast of Great Britain) - this is the first enterprise in the world whose production facilities are entirely provided with electricity received from their own wind turbines.
But Ford Motor is not going to stop there. Following its slogan "go ahead", the company continues to set itself more and more new goals.
No need to focus on money!
From the above, we can conclude that when creating and developing a business, one cannot focus only on money and profits. The business that you develop should help people, should improve our lives, make them more comfortable and safer.
I like Ford's policy regarding the environmental friendliness of the cars they produce, as well as the economy in operation. On my blog you can find a lot of material on how to . I myself at one time installed gas-balloon equipment on my car in order to spend less money on gasoline.
It is reasonable consumption that underlies my vision of how to achieve financial freedom and independence. To increase your income you need to make sure that income is always your expenses. And the resulting difference (residue) must be directed to the creation of assets, the accumulation of money, in order to subsequently create a business, for example.
Thanks to Ford Motor Company for once again convincing me of the right path and for showing me what the right business should be.
(votes)Before buying a brand of car you like, every buyer will certainly have the question of which country's manufacturer's car to choose. After all, as you know, if a car starts to be in great demand in the world, manufacturers of other countries buy the rights to its production. This also happens in Russia, Renault Logan", "Toyota Camry", "Ford Focus", "", etc. are examples of this. But now our conversation will be about a middle-class car with a rich Ford Focus package, which can be found in three types of assembly in the car markets of the Russian Federation:
European;
- American;
- Russian.
To begin with, let's start with the fact that many people, as soon as they find out that a car Russian assembly they immediately turn away and go to see any other car produced abroad. This is understandable, after all, for almost a lifetime Soviet car industry nothing worthwhile has been done that could equal at least a foreign car twenty years older than our car. But do not jump to conclusions about any machine, even our assembly, because each has its pros and cons! As for the car of the Russian assembly, there are not much more minuses than its European and American counterparts. On the contrary, the Russian "Ford Focus" is more adapted to our driving conditions, and sitting behind the wheel of this car, you will feel like in spaceship from the comfort and abundance of electronics. Outwardly, they almost do not differ from each other except for the headlights, but the design differences are greater, spare parts from the Russian Ford Focus will not be able to fit a foreigner. And now more about the differences between them:
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Sheena shop | 2840 R. | |
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Sheena shop | 3460 R. | |
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Auchan | 1119 R. | |
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city-tuning | 2005 R. | |
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The Russian Ford Focus, compared to its relatives, has very good, high-quality brakes, and therefore, at high speed, it seems to start to slow down with its nose. This raises the fear of damaging your bumper on some object that has fallen on the road, it feels like the brakes were designed by a “coward”. As for its American sibling, the brakes are pretty sluggish, and sometimes you have to slam them all the way to the floor to get good stopping power. But the leader in this criterion is clearly the European-built Ford Focus, whose brakes were clearly made for driving on the autobahns. They are of medium sensitivity, when braking, the speed drops almost instantly, but in comparison with the Russian Ford Focus, the European does not skid, and he does not strive to throw you out through the windshield.
With regard to manageability. In this criterion, the first place is shared between the manufacturers of the USA and Europe, on whose machines, even at a speed of 190 km / h, significant rocking is imperceptibly significant. The car goes almost following the indicated trajectory, which cannot be said about their Russian counterpart. A Russian car already at a speed of 140 km / h makes you think about possible consequences, since the steering wheel is made wadded, and the car does not exactly follow the trajectory of movement. On the other hand, the Russian Ford Focus has a fairly high ground clearance, which, unlike its foreign counterparts, makes it possible not to be afraid of every bump.
The ergonomics of machines from all manufacturers are on top. There are no backlashes, squeaks, as is usually the case on our cars, the interior is adapted for driving at high speeds, as there is lateral support for the seats. As a result, almost on any turns you sit like a glove. The main difference in this paragraph is in the headlights, where the Russian-assembled Ford Focus is at its best. The standard optics of its foreign counterparts are too dim and do not provide enough space for viewing, which is why you have to install xenon, but based on the fact that this is prohibited in many countries, you have to change all the optics.
As a result, one thing can be said that all these machines are approximately on the same level, each of them has its pros and cons. But the most important common minus of these cars is too thin body material. It is slightly susceptible to corrosion, but even with a small accident, you will have to invest more than one penny in the repair of your iron horse.
Good luck in choosing a car!
