Do you know who they belong to? In principle, at first glance, the answer to this question is quite easy. But it's not so simple. Especially with regards to the various departments famous brands, in which you can even get confused. Plus, over the past decades, many car brands have become the property of other car companies. So today only an expert and connoisseur of the modern car market can easily name who owns car brands.
For example, for decades the British brand Vauxhall and the German brand Opel were owned by the American company General Motors. But in March 2017, the deal of the year (maybe even the deal of the decade) took place, in which the PSA group of companies acquired the Vauxhall and Opel car brands for $2.3 billion. This means that now the Vauxhall and Opel brands are owned by a joint company of Peugeot and Citroën brands, which created the PSA auto alliance. That is, now the Vauxhall and Opel brands belong to French car brands.
So, as you can see, not everything is so simple in the modern car market. But thanks to our material, you can find out who owns which car brands these days. This will help you not only expand your knowledge in the automotive world, but also become a real connoisseur in the world of automotive corporations.
BMW Group
Manufacturer aircraft engines Rapp Motorenwerke created Bayerische Motoren Werke in 1917. Bayerische Motoren Werke further merged with the aviation company ayerische Flugzeug-Werke in 1922. In 1923, the combined corporation began to produce engines for motorcycles, and also launched the production of motorbikes. In 1928, the production of automobiles began. Today it has a rather simple structure.
Here are the brands currently owned by the BMW Group:
bmw
Mini
Rolls Royce
BMW Motorrad (motorcycle brand)
Daimler
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) was founded in 1899. It merged with Benz & Cie in 1926. From that moment on, Daimler-Benz AG appeared in the world.
The headquarters is located in Stuttgart, Germany.
The company has a fairly complex corporate structure that includes brands ranging from microcar maker Smart to school bus maker.
Here are the brands Daimler owns today:
mercedes benz
Smart
Mercedes-Benz Truck (Manufacturer of trucks)
Freightliner (U.S. tractor and truck manufacturer)
Fuso (Manufacture of commercial trucks)
Western Star (Manufacture of semi-trailers)
Bharatbenz (Indian automobile company that manufactures buses and trucks)
Mercedes-Benz Vans (Manufacturer of minibuses and minivans)
Mercedes-Benz Buses (Bus manufacturer)
Setra (Manufacture of buses)
Thomas Built (Manufacturer of school buses)
(Mercedes-AMG (production of powerful and sports cars based on production models Mercedes is a division that is part of Daimler AG).
General Motors
In 1908, Buick owner William K. Durant, together with the Olds Motor Vehicle Company (Oldsmobile), founded a holding company that was supposed to help automobile brands compete in the car market. In 1909, Cadillac and Oakland joined the holding, which later received the new name Pontiac. Later, General Motors began to take over many small car companies. So, in 1918, the brand entered the holding.
General Motors is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
In 2008, following the global financial crisis, General Motors shut down brands such as Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Saturn and Hummer.
The corporation currently controls the following companies:
Autobaojun (Car manufacturer in China)
Buick
Cadillac
Chevrolet
GMC
Holden (Australian car manufacturer)
Jiefang (Chinese company that manufactures commercial vehicles)
Wuling (Car manufacturer in China)
Fiat Chrysler
The Italian company and the American brand Chrysler officially completed their merger in October 2014, creating an alliance Fiat Chrysler automobiles. This process started in 2011.
Recall Fiat company began its history back in 1899 (Società Anonima Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili Torino).
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is technically headquartered in London, England. However, most of the actual work is done at Chrysler's headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA, and Fiat's headquarters in Turin, Italy.
The FCA Alliance manages:
Chrysler
Dodge
Jeep
Ram
fiat
Alfa Romeo
Fiat Professional
Lancia
Maserati
Tata Motors is headquartered in Mumbai, India.
Tata operates the following companies:
Tata
Land Rover
Jaguar
Tata Daewoo (Production of commercial vehicles)
Toyota Group
The automotive division of Toyoy Automatic Loom Works entered the automotive market in 1935 with the launch of the G1 pickup truck. Then in 1937 automotive division was spun off into a separate company motor company. Toyota's first car was the GA truck, which replaced the old Toyota model G1.
Toyota is headquartered in Toyota City, Japan.
Toyota Group owns:
Toyota
Lexus
Hino (Production of commercial vehicles)
Daihatsu
Volkswagen Group
The roots go back to the days of Nazi Germany, when the country sought to create a "people's machine" to mobilize the population. By the way, before the start of World War II, Volkswagen was able to produce the first batch of such cars. But then the plant switched to the production of military vehicles. After the war, the production of the "people's car" continued. It was the legendary "Beetle" ( Volkswagen Beetle). As a result, 21 million cars were produced.
Volkswagen headquarters is located in Wolfsburg, Germany.
The Volkswagen Group currently controls:
Volkswagen
Audi
Bentley
Bugatti
Lamborghini
Porsche
SEAT
Skoda
MAN (Production of heavy trucks)
Scania (Another company that produces heavy trucks and trucks)
Volkswagen Commercial (Manufacture of commercial vehicles: minivans, minibuses, vans)
Ducati (Motorcycle manufacturing)
Zhejiang Geely
Li Shufu founded Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in 1986. In 1997, he created Geely Automobile. Despite the fact that this is a fairly young car company, the concern owns several large car holdings through smart acquisitions.
Zhejiang Geely is headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
The company controls the following brands:
Geely Auto
Volvo
lotus
Proton (Malaysia)
London EV Company (Production of taxi cars for London)
Polestar (Manufacture of electric vehicles)
Lynk & Co (Premium brand focused on the production of expensive electric cars)
Yuan Cheng Auto (Manufacture of commercial vehicles)
Terrafugia (Flying car manufacturing)
Recent investments make Geely largest shareholder of Volvo AB, which manufactures commercial vehicles and is responsible for brands and Renault Trucks(production of trucks Volvo and Renault).
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, "Reno Logan", "Toyota Camry", " Ford Focus”,“ ”, etc. are examples of this. But now our conversation will be about a middle class car with richly equipped"Ford Focus", 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 Russian-made car, 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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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 is coming 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!
In 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 slogan 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, it also owns trademark Lincoln.
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 - the German companies Volkswagen Group and Daimler (1st and 3rd places) and the Japanese Toyota Motor.
Ford Motor is one of the largest companies in the world, run by one family - Ford owns about 40% of the shares. Securities publicly traded companies 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 a museum piece for you! Such a "race" can be envied and 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 changed, in 1906 the trademark acquired new features - the “flying” spelling of the first and last letters of the company 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. Ford became an example of such a "worldwide" car. Focus III built on a single platform.
As part of the new strategy, the company sells its luxury brands - Aston Martin, Jaguar, Volvo. During the crisis, it was required to make the company simpler, and since 85% of its business was provided Ford brand, all forces and means are rushed precisely to his salvation.
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 competitions for 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 most fast car in a world that can drive 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.
Ford GT- 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.
The company decided to celebrate the success of the Focus car, which sells well not only in Russia, 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 statue was shown at the international car exhibition 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 occupies 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. 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 the Ford Flexifuel and Ford C-MAX Flexifuel cars, 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 capacity fully provided with electricity generated 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 installed it on my car myself. gas equipment 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)The next day, newspapers around the world came out with front-page obituaries. Among the thousands of polite, but standard notes and replies, a Detroit tabloid article stood out, very eloquently entitled "The father of the car has died."
Oddly enough, from a certain point of view, this was true. Of course, we know about a man named Karl Benz and his Motorwagen, quite officially recognized as the first car in history. But even though Henry Ford did not invent the car as an engineering device, he did more to popularize it than anyone else. It was thanks to him that the car turned from a toy for the rich into an object of universal passion, into a vehicle accessible to everyone. In short, in their own way, the Detroit journalists were right.
In one article, to talk about Ford is as utopian an idea as to try to summarize the content of the Great Soviet Encyclopedia. But still, we will try to remember the main milestones of the fate and character traits of the founder of one of the largest corporations in the world, whose contribution to the development of the auto industry cannot be overestimated.
Dreamer
Henry Ford was born July 30, 1863 in Springfield Township, Michigan to Irish immigrant parents. Having made a fortune in logging, they could afford a good house, a prosperous economy and considerable land in private ownership. So the eldest son of William and Mary Ligot Ford grew up in satiety and prosperity. From a young age, Henry showed an increased interest in technology. Moreover, this interest was sometimes manic. The younger sisters - there were 8 children in the Ford family - even hid clockwork mechanical toys from Henry, presented for Christmas. He still found them and took them apart to the screw in order to understand how everything works. Then the young Samodelkin became seriously interested in watches, managing complex mechanisms with the dexterity of a cadet taking apart an AK-47. But, in the end, the curious little boy found a more serious hobby. One fine day in July 1876, William Ford, taking his son, went on business to Detroit. On the way, a light double team of father and son met a self-propelled carriage with a steam engine ...
Here is how Henry himself described this meeting: “It was a huge steam boiler mounted on wheels, with a water tank and a coal cart attached to the back. Belts went from the motor to the rear wheels, which set the entire structure in motion ... ".
Much later, in his very numerous memoirs, Ford would argue that this particular episode became a turning point in his life - it was then that he wanted to devote himself to the creation of vehicles. Not postponing the matter indefinitely, at the age of 15, Ford left school and went to Detroit, which was already turning into the center of America's nascent industry. The first cavalry attack on the future "City of Motors", however, was not very successful. Short work in a factory tramcars, Henry then took a job as an apprentice in the workshop of James Flowers and Brothers. They paid mere pennies, but it didn’t matter - the main thing was that the young man was free to study hydrants, pumps, steam engines, elevators and other equipment, which turned out to be visibly invisible in the company’s workshops.
All this was great, of course, but Henry was hardly one step closer to realizing his childhood dream. In addition, he got married and for some time, together with the beautiful Clara, even returned to his father's house, but only to finally become disillusioned with the village lifestyle. In short, after a while, Ford found himself back in Detroit, this time taking a job in a branch of the gigantic empire of America's electric king, Thomas Edison. Henry started out as a simple caretaker of the lines, but in a very short time he achieved impressive success. Within two years, he was promoted to chief engineer, and his salary doubled to $90 a week.
I must say that Henry did not feel any particular need for banknotes and, by his own admission, he got a job at Edison's company with one goal - to understand all the intricacies of electricity. For what? To understand how the advanced Otto internal combustion engine for the late 19th century works, the fuel mixture in which was ignited by a spark. Yes, yes, he did not forget about cars.
Henry's inquisitive mind coped with this task. And when, on Christmas Eve, 1893, Ford's primitive 1-cylinder gasoline engine of Ford's own design finally started working, the future automobile magnate knew that he was ready for the next step. Having put together a team of like-minded people, he started building his first car.
Under his careful guidance
The talent of the alpha leader manifested itself in Ford at a fairly young age. Since then, personal magnetism, the ability to infect others with enthusiasm and his own, sometimes even crazy ideas, have become integral features of his character. Imagine, already as a hired employee at the Edison enterprise, Henry was more of a leader than an engineer. One of the workers, who devoted his free time to the car project of yesterday's line superintendent, said so: “Mr. Ford himself did practically nothing. He only gave instructions all the time, advised something ... ".
Coal shed next to Ford's house, which Henry converted into a workshop. It was here that his first car, the Quadricycle, was born. By the way, when the car was ready, it turned out that it does not pass through the doors. I had to widen the opening with a pickaxe and a crowbar
One way or another, in the summer of 1896 the first car was ready. Oddly enough, the Quadricycle, as Ford himself later dubbed the car, turned out to be a fully functional specimen. 2-cylinder, four stroke engine 4 hp through a belt drive, accelerated the car to 30 km / h. On it, the entire Ford family, including Clara and Edsel's son, went out of town for walks, surprising the neighbors and scaring the horses.
But the Quadricycle made an even greater impression on Ford's immediate supervisor. Cars were still a curiosity at that time, which is why the director of the Detroit branch of the Edison Illuminating Company invited Henry to a status party, where Thomas Alva Edison himself was present. In the midst of a dinner party, America's greatest inventor was introduced to "a young engineer from Detroit who built his own self-propelled carriage."
Edison immediately invited Ford to his table and, with undisguised curiosity, began to question the young man about the design of the Quadricycle. Not at all shy, Henry answered in detail all the questions of the creator of the electric light bulb and even sketched out a schematic diagram of the internal combustion engine on the back of the menu.
“Young man, you are just brilliant! - looks like Edison was really impressed. - I believe that the future belongs to such gasoline engines. Hold on to your idea. This is your chance!
Henry took the words of the idol of his youth literally. First of all, he quit the Detroit Illuminating Company, refusing a two-fold salary increase and a leadership position, and a few months later Ford settled in the chair of the chief designer of the Detroit Automobile Company, the first automobile company in the city. But, as often happens, the starting pancake came out lumpy.
It so happened that Henry caught a virus, which in modern language is called star disease. Generous praise from Edison himself, the boundless trust of influential investors, multiplied by their own exaggerated ego, played a cruel joke. Ford felt like a technical genius with the manners of a free artist, saying that I do what I want. He quite inopportunely became interested in car racing and plunged headlong into the construction sports models. Meanwhile, only occasionally primitive trucks left the gates of the Detroit Automobile Company, each of which brought only losses to the company. The patience of investors proved to be limited, and after several warnings that had no effect, Henry had to vacate the office. Think! Having quarreled with influential businessmen in smoke, he immediately fooled the new ones, knocking out funds for development racing car. But this happiness did not last long. Soon, Henry will spoil relations with the next business partners - something, but he has never been distinguished by an accommodating character.
Today it is hard to believe, but at the beginning of the 20th century in the business circles of Detroit, there was probably no figure more odious than Ford. Better known for his obnoxious nature than engineering genius, Henry, or rather his name alone, frightened off investors and former partners. A man who, at the dawn of a new century, would have predicted to Ford the fate of the greatest industrialist of the era, would simply be ridiculed. It seemed that nothing would come of this arrogant upstart.
And in fact, the money for the next project managed to knock out literally by a miracle. With great difficulty, Henry found a common language with the coal magnate Alexander Malcolmson, a good friend from his time at Edison. Malcolmson provided funds for the development of a new model, and on June 16, 1903, a new automobile company, the Ford Motor Company, was born.
Everyone, and especially Henry himself, understood that there might not be another such chance to declare himself. Fortunately, fortune finally smiled on the stubborn descendant of Irish emigrants.
king of the hill
In fact, the production of the first serial Ford - model A began in early June, that is, even a little earlier than the date of the official registration of the company. A dozen workers in a rented workshop on Mac Avenue were slowly assembling simple 2-seat Runabouts with an 8-horsepower 2-cylinder engine. At first they worked "in a warehouse." The company received its first order only on July 15 - a certain Mr. Pfennig, a dentist from Chicago, chose a model with an optional top for $850. Then the second order came, followed by the third... By the end of the year, the company will sell 215 cars, and shareholders will receive their first dividends in November 1903 - just five months after the official registration of the Ford Motor Company! Further more. By the beginning of 1904, the staff of assembly workers will increase by more than ten times, and the total number of cars produced in the first year and a half of the company's existence will reach 1,700 units.
It was an absolute success. Ford finally realized his childhood dream - he produced cars, proving to skeptics that he could not only scandal and quarrel. However, until now, his career has been no different from that of hundreds of other relatively successful automobile manufacturers of the early 20th century. But the fact of the matter is that Henry looked much further than his colleagues in the shop. First, he did not really believe in the popular theory that the production of expensive cars brings more profit. On the contrary, Henry had no doubt: the shortest path to success - mass production inexpensive models.
Contrary to popular belief, the first mass-produced Ford was by no means the legendary T, but the N model, which debuted two years earlier. In fact, it was an experimental car. The most simplified, if not Spartan, car with a 15-horsepower engine cost only $500. Result? All 8500 copies produced in 1906 sold out instantly, making the Ford Motor largest automaker USA.
Convinced that the concept of the cheapest possible car worked, Henry and his engineering team rushed to work on a model that, without any exaggeration, was destined to change the lives of millions of people.
The well-known popularity of the Ford N was brought only by extremely low price. The car itself, to be honest, turned out to be unimportant: with a low-power engine, only a 2-seater saloon, a weak frame that lacked rigidity and endurance, which, among other things, affected the disgusting smoothness of the ride. However, for a more than modest price tag, the Enke forgave a bunch of shortcomings. As they say, it is better to go badly than to go well.
And Henry was right. If people willingly buy not too good, but cheap car, then what will happen if we offer the market a car as affordable as the N model, but devoid of all its disadvantages?
So the Ford T was born. Sometimes this legendary car They call it unremarkable in technical terms, but this is not entirely true. Of course, the "teshka" did not impress with its design, heavy-duty motor or a scattering of revolutionary engineering solutions. But its design was thought out down to the smallest detail - from reinforced frame from vanadium alloy to a motor that digested both gasoline and kerosene, and even alcohol. In short, it was the world's first well-made budget car - consider it the great-great-grandfather of today's Logan.
« Teshka" was cheap in price, but not in performance. To the design thought out to the smallest detail, Henry added another important ingredient - a high, or rather the highest, maximum possible level of quality at that time. And this concerned not only the assembly process itself - at his enterprise, this was implied by itself. Another thing is that representatives of component supplier companies who worked with Ford were hysterical from super-strict quality requirements for parts, assemblies and mechanisms intended for the T model. Tolerances for some positions reached 4 mm - and this, I recall, at the beginning of 20 century! On the other hand, the suppliers who worked for Ford were given exactly as much time to develop and complete the order as they required, and they were paid for their services at the highest level.
In the first incomplete year, about 10,000 "tesheks" were shipped to buyers. In 1911, almost 70 thousand people became the owners of the car, and a year later this figure doubled! Such popularity even Ford could not dream of in the most rosy dreams. The “teshka” itself is very quickly out of simple good car has become a social phenomenon.
The art of releasing
In its debut in 1908, the Ford T was rightfully considered the most advanced budget car in the world, but time passed, and the design of the model remained almost unchanged. In fact, for 19 (!) years on the assembly line, all the innovations that have touched the "Tin Lizzy" can be counted on the fingers of one hand. In 1915, electric headlights appeared on the car, in January 1919, an electric starter, and with it the dashboard, which consisted of only one ammeter, and six years later, pneumatic tires were finally installed on the Teshka. Everything else is completely trifles.
But why? After all, Ford, with all the desire, cannot be called a tyrant or an opponent of technological progress. Of course no. It's just that Henry's real passion has always been production efficiency - he worshiped this deity all his life, he readily brought everything to his altar, up to friendship.
After all, what is production efficiency? In a nutshell - the largest number of products produced per unit of labor. Now, Henry was never happy with that ratio. What would any other successful manufacturer concerned with the problem of expanding production do? Most likely, he would have built another plant, and then another one ... Henry hated this approach - he sincerely believed that it was possible to find another way to produce more, even when the production capacity seemed to be exhausted. And, as usual, he was right.
What Ford's inquisitive mind did not invent. For example, the workers at the assembly site were divided into teams, each of which performed a certain sequence of operations, but not on one, but on several machines at once. Thus, the manufacturing process was slightly accelerated. Then they guessed that time could be saved by delivering the necessary components from the warehouse ahead of time. So they carved out a few more minutes, and gradually, step by step, the pace of production increased.
In addition, Ford introduced an atmosphere of constant creative competition at the plant, when each employee could and even had to come up with his own idea for optimizing the production process. What is characteristic - they listened to every little thing. Workers whose ideas caught on were generously rewarded. As a matter of fact, the conveyor assembly was a direct consequence of such rationalization proposals.
There is an opinion that the idea of the automobile assembly line came to Henry's assistants during a visit to the Chicago slaughterhouses of Swift and Co. In the workshops of the meat-packing plant, managers of the Ford Motor Company were shocked by an ominous and bewitching picture at the same time. The carcasses hung on chains moved from post to post, where butchers with cleavers at the ready chopped off pieces, wasting no time in moving from one workplace to another and practically without lowering their knives. The efficiency of the mechanized butchering of pigs amazed automotive engineers.
They decided to conduct a similar experiment in the workshops of the new Ford plant in Highland Park. The assembly of the magneto, a popular ignition system at the time, was split into two stages using a conveyor belt. Happened! The assembly time of the finished part from 20 minutes (in man-hours) was reduced by a third. Gradually, other operations began to be transferred to the conveyor, at first simpler, later more complicated. The turn has come to the engine, and to the gearbox, and to the suspension. Finally, in August 1913, the most complex operation was also automated - the so-called "wedding" of the chassis and body. Perhaps this day can be considered the date of birth of the automobile assembly line.
The effectiveness of the new working methods was unparalleled. Chassis assembly time reduced from 12.5 hours to 93 minutes! But, of course, new technologies were not introduced for the sake of records. Most importantly, since 1913, the productivity of the plant has doubled every year, and the price of the Ford T has steadily declined, eventually falling to $260! At current prices, it's only $3,200.
The automobile assembly line is not the only thing Henry gave to the civilized world. Among other brilliant ideas of the giant of thought and the father of the automotive industry, for example, are record-breaking salaries for their own workers on the market, which not only increased staff loyalty, and at the same time labor efficiency, but also spurred sales. After all, the wealthy hard workers became buyers of cars that they themselves produced.
Ford not only applied the principles of car production that are relevant to this day, he also came up with very effective sales tools. Say, in 1914, in order to spur demand, Henry publicly promised every customer a $50 discount. More than generous, considering that at that time base price car was only $500. What is the genius of the action? So the money was returned to buyers only on the condition that Ford sells at least 300 thousand cars at the end of the calendar year. Sales that year were 308,213 cars, and Henry was happy to keep his promise. In any case, he earned more than he spent. “Every time I lower my price by $1, I get a thousand new customers!” Ford said with a laugh.
As early as the beginning of the century, Henry realized that one of the indispensable conditions for effective mass production was the production of his own auto components. And by 1920, the company, for example, produced not only wooden frames for bodies, but also planted forest plantations for future harvesting! Ford realized before others that the key to worldwide popularity was the production of cars in different countries and continents. The first foreign subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company opened in Canada in 1904. By the time the production of the Model T began, representative offices of the company appeared in Paris and London, and in 1911 a plant in Manchester was launched - the first Blue Oval assembly plant in Europe.
His quirks
Wealth was never the goal of Ford, in the end he was born into a wealthy family, but it turned out that the money itself was chasing Henry. Even before the release of the Model T, he was considered a more than successful businessman, but "Tin Lizzy" overnight made him a millionaire. Or rather, a multimillionaire. At the same time, having all the opportunities, he did not lead a riotous luxurious lifestyle, which distinguishes people who quickly made capital. Of course, Ford was not known as a hermit and, according to by and large, did not deny himself anything, but preferred to spend money on anything except entertainment.
It is difficult to say how much Henry cost the lawsuit with a certain George Selden, an inventor and lawyer, best known for his patent for ... a car. Back in the late 19th century, this American filed a patent application for a self-propelled vehicle with an internal combustion engine. Moreover, experienced in matters of law, Selden turned the case in such a way that everyone who later intended to produce cars in the United States had to pay him patent royalties. And everyone paid until Ford said, "Enough!"
Henry, like no one else, could afford transfers for the "Selden patent", but his very nature was sickened by the idea that some scoundrel was profiting from an inherently false patent. No one believed that the tenacious and stubborn Selden could be overcome, but Ford turned out to be even more tenacious and stubborn. On January 10, 1911, after lengthy and bitter litigation, the controversial patent lost its validity.
Even more expensive was Henry and his most unsuccessful venture. At the height of the First World War, Ford, who had been known as a staunch pacifist all his life, paid for the freight of a huge ocean liner. On board, he, with a group of diplomats and cultural figures, went to Europe in order to try to convince the warring parties to lay down their arms. Needless to say, the expedition failed, and after that, only the lazy did not laugh at Henry's naivety ?! But no matter how primitive his act seemed, Ford's thoughts were pure and noble.
Again, with the best of intentions, he went down in history as one of the most implacable fighters against trade unions. And this position of Henry is quite easy to understand and share. He literally created a system from scratch in which workers and managers had the opportunity to earn good money if they were completely devoted to their work. Ford was convinced that a good worker, as well as a smart manager, does not need an advocate from the labor organization at all. Not surprisingly, Henry was at the forefront of the anti-union movement of the 1930s.
With a new misfortune, the automotive giant fought with very specific methods. As head of service internal security Henry hired navy sailor and boxer Harry Bennett. The two-meter tall man whom Ford had once saved from prison was pathologically loyal to the boss and did not hesitate to carry out all his orders, including orders of a very dubious nature. It is not surprising that there were no problems with labor discipline at the Blue Oval factories, and those that arose were suppressed in the most decisive way. As the saying goes, a fist and a kind word convinces better than just a kind word. Moreover, attempts by union leaders to force Ford to sign a collective labor agreement, which by the mid-30s was approved by all other automakers in America, including General Motors and Chrysler, also did not lead to anything.
In the end, what should have happened did happen. However, it was not reason, the advice of colleagues, or, God forbid, public opinion that forced Ford to sign the ill-fated document. No no and one more time no! Henry, who did not doubt the correctness of his own decisions, was ready to break the company into small branches and start the sale of assets rather than go along with people whose ideals he despised all his life. But his wife intervened. Clara threatened her husband with a divorce if he did not preserve the integrity of the company and did everything to ensure that the Ford Motor Company forever remained the Ford family estate. Only then did Henry, reluctantly, sign an agreement with the hated trade unions...
And what are his very dubious (and this is putting it mildly) anti-Semitic views worth?! Not to mention the fact that it was Ford who turned out to be the only American that Hitler mentions, and mentions in enthusiastic tones in Mein Kampf!
But who are we to judge the greatest automaker of the 20th century? The righteous in the world big business in any case, it simply does not exist, besides, Ford already got hard from fate. He survived his only son - Edsel died of cancer back in 1943, and by that time he had no friends left for a long time. Who knows, perhaps this is the price that the brilliant auto manufacturer had to pay for fabulous wealth and worldwide fame?
Danila Mikhailov
Brief information about the company:
Brand name: FORD (Ford Motor Company)
A country: USA (Michigan, Detroit)
Specialization: car manufacturing
Legend has it that for the first time the idea of creating a car, or rather a vehicle that does not require the use of animal power, came up with Henry Ford, the son of an Irish immigrant. It was in 1872 and this event is connected with a fall from a horse and a severe bruise of the future famous automaker. This is where it started Ford history.
The date of birth of the Ford company was June 16, 1903, when G. Ford and eleven of his friends collected a fabulous sum of twenty thousand dollars for those times and applied for the organization of a new auto-industrial enterprise. So, in the American state of Michigan, the very famous automobile company Ford Motor Company appeared in the future. It was originally housed in a small van factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit.
The first vehicle that was created at the Ford factory was equipped with an 8 engine Horse power and was called "petrol carriage". Officially, she received the name "Model A" and was positioned in the automotive market as "the most advanced car that even a 15-year-old child can drive." For the next five years, Henry Ford directed the development of the plant and created the production program. During this period, 19 car models were developed - from Model "A" to Model "S". True, not all developments managed to reach the buyer.
The most important year in the life of Henry Ford and his automobile offspring was 1908. It was then that the famous automaker was able to fulfill his old dream. This event was the release of Model T - "Tin Lizzy" (Tin Lizzy). This innovative car went on to become the most famous car in the history of the auto industry.
Application latest technology production allowed to reduce the price of the car to 260 dollars! This was the reason that in the first year of sales it was possible to sell about 11,000 units. From that moment on, the car began to be spoken of as a necessary and affordable means of transportation. The mass production of automobiles began and, in fact, new era automotive industry.
The main reason that made it possible to significantly reduce the cost of a car and dramatically increase labor productivity was the introduction of the conveyor production of cars invented by Ford. Thanks to this innovation, a new car, the Model T, rolled off the FORD factory assembly line every 10 seconds.
But competitors did not sleep and further capacity building and implementation of latest developments in the automotive industry. The Ford company was constantly in search of new ideas and in April 1932 the latest V-shaped 8-cylinder engine was presented to the public, which none of the competitors could boast of.
Cars equipped with this engine for a long time took a leading position in American market. And since 1934, the first Ford trucks appeared on agricultural farms and on the streets of American cities.
But not only technology occupied the mind of Henry Ford. One of the very first among auto manufacturers, he begins to take care of the safety of the driver and passenger. It was Ford's that was first supplied with "safe" glass. Since then, the company has been constantly working to reduce the risk to human life and increase the safety of the driver and passenger. This was elevated to the rank of company policy and is still supported.
By this time, the Ford brand is becoming world famous and popular. A huge network of factories and shops has been built throughout America. Branches are opened in Europe and Russia. There are already thousands of Ford cars on sale and it is becoming truly popular.
In 1942 production civil vehicles was stopped and the main efforts of the company are directed to military needs. Ford produces tanks, planes, military vehicles.
On September 24, 1945, Henry Ford passes the management of the company to his grandson, Henry Ford 2. And just two years later, in April 1947, at the age of 83, the founder of the most famous automobile company dies at his Fea Lane estate. The grandson does an excellent job of managing the company and worthily continues the work of his illustrious grandfather. In June 1948, at an exhibition in New York, a new Ford car model was presented, which had a number of innovative solutions - independent front suspension, smooth side panels and opening rear side windows. The integration of the body and wings has become the most progressive solution and has established new standard automotive design.
In 1949, Ford is selling more cars than ever since 1929. Sales volume is about one million cars. Huge profits of the company allowed it to actively develop production. New production and assembly plants, engineering and research laboratories, testing grounds are being built. New types of activities are being developed. And in January 1956 Ford Motor Company becomes an open joint stock company. To date, the company has about 700,000 shareholders.
In the 60s, Ford chose young people as the target group of buyers. In this regard, it was necessary to reorient production to the production of inexpensive sports cars. Following new trends and being a direct pattern of the company's new policy in 1964, the well-known (subsequently) Mustang car first appeared. A distinctive feature of the newcomer was the use of a fundamentally new engine, which combined two units: a drive axle and a transmission. In addition, the fashionably and stylishly designed interior of the model literally fell in love with buyers in this car. The success spoke for itself - in just 100 days, 100,000 Mustangs were sold. The company's profit has reached incredible, few people predicted heights.
On this wave of success, the company continues to develop and introduce new original designs for other models. At the same time, without forgetting about the safety of the driver and passengers. Thanks to this, Ford became the first company to install disc front brakes on its production cars in 1970.
Until now, the company adheres to a long-chosen policy aimed at improving cars, their efficiency and safety. Few people now do not recognize the logo of this company. The popularity of these cars in the world is great. And this success is natural, since the company first of all cares about those who use its cars.
