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Ford Motor Company’s
Michigan Truck Plant Body Shop Now Features Flexible Manufacturing
by Jenny McLane
Ford Motor Company is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan. It is one of the
world's largest automakers, with approximately 318,000 employees in 200 markets
on six continents. Its automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar,
Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services
include Ford Credit, Quality Care and Hertz. Ford Motor Company observed its
100th anniversary on June 16, 2003.
Ford Motor Company has announced that they shall be investing $300,000 in a
240,000-square-foot, flexible body shop expansion at the Michigan Truck Plant in
Wayne, Michigan.
"This has been a tough, but gratifying year in manufacturing for Ford. We've
transformed our plants to bring more products, faster to our customers," said
Matt DeMars, Ford vice president, Vehicle Operations. "Our goal is to build
stability and standardization into our North American assembly and stamping
plants, which is what flexible and lean manufacturing is all about."
Ford has had a wonderful year in terms of sales and productions. Plus, they have
launched a record number of vehicles the previous year and would like to sustain
the rhythm for 2005. They are now doing well in trying to meet their previously
stated commitment of infusing flexible manufacturing into 75% of its body
manufacturing shops, trim and final assembly operations by the end of this
decade. Flexibility in the body shops is the most crucial component of flexible
manufacturing due to the complexity and the cost of the operation involved.
Ford’s innovative flexible body shop system requires less expenditure than both
time-honoured methods of traditional body shops and other devised flexible
manufacturing systems.
With lasts year’s successful sales and production, Ford is hard pressed to
surpass the impressive numbers they have previously posted. At the start of 2004
Ford launched an onslaught with production of the F-150 at the Dearborn Truck
Plant; the Ford GT at the Wixom Assembly Plant; the
Escape Hybrid at the Kansas
City Assembly Plant; the
Ford Five Hundred, Freestyle and Mercury Montego in
Chicago; the Mercury Mariner at the Ohio Assembly Plant; and the
Ford Mustang at AutoAlliance International. Ford plans to be just as aggressive to maintain if
not surpass the same numbers as the preceding sales year.
DeMars credits their highly successful launches to the Ford Company’s focus on
quality; their well planned processes and to their manpower. The people behind
the manufacturing of their vehicles are the heart of the whole operation. "We
are committed to getting our launches right. We know that a strong launch is
critical to a vehicle's success," he said. "The Ford Production System, our
Launch Quality Operating Systems and our Safety Leadership Initiative are
important tools in our manufacturing system."
The aforementioned Michigan Truck Plant produces the Ford Expedition and Lincoln
Navigator. This particular plant employs more than 3,000 hourly employees. The
addition of the flexible body plant will certainly expand the production
capabilities of the plant. Details on future products that maybe produced on the
truck plant will be announced at a future date.
"This is an extremely exciting time for this plant and for the employees here,"
said Gary Johnson, plant manager. "It reinforces to everyone our future, the
long-term viability of the Michigan Truck Plant and our workforce. The new body
shop expansion and flexible tooling give us a strong future with the capability
of producing exciting new products."
This will also enable the Ford Motor Company to adjust with the ever changing
market and do so at record speed. Plus, aside from being able to react more
quickly they could also do this with significant cost savings. This is also in
accordance to the company’s dedication to its commitment in producing more
products at a faster rate.
With today’s ever changing needs and demands every company needs to be on its
toes at all times. Any dilly dallying may cost dearly. Many auto manufacturers
have been in hard work devising plans and methods on how to cope up and yet cut
costs. These way customers are happy and manufacturers may still churn out
profit.
About the Author:
Just like these auto manufacturers, Auto Parts Train is dedicated to its
commitment to its clients in bringing only the best in quality Ford parts. They
also always update their Ford car parts stocks so that they may cope up with the
times ever changing needs. Many products are launched every year and with Auto
Parts Trains’ 25 years of experience in this field they know that they need to
be aware at all times. Auto Parts Train always has its ears to the ground to
keep up with all the new products in the market. They are devoted in only
offering you the finest in top class Ford replacement parts. They have also
searched all over to provide the first rate Ford collision parts, so that they
can confidently say that they guarantee the quality and the fit of the entire
Ford auto parts they posses.
For top-notch Ford body parts
Auto Parts Train is the one to call. 1-888-251-1214 is their toll-free hotline
and their highly trained and courteous customer service crew is on hand six days
a week, 12 hours a day. Plus, if you’re a non-California resident you don’t have
to pay sales tax! At Auto Parts Train you get high quality Ford performance
parts and accessories at wholesale prices. You just cant beat that winning
combination. Great service, high rated quality ford auto parts, rock bottom
prices, plus great and fast processing and delivery. You’ll have your purchase
in your front door in no time at all. Our 24 hour online store is open for you
all the time; http://www.partstrain.com/ShopByVehicle/FORD is the link to go to
for your five star quality Ford part. With Auto Parts Train, you can never go
wrong.
Jenny McLane is a 36 year old native of Iowa and has a knack for research on
cars and anything and everything about it. She works full time as a Market
Analyst for one of the leading car parts suppliers in the country today. |
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