Ford Motor Company – Company History
The Ford Motor Company has been a pioneer in auto manufacturing since founder Henry Ford launched it in Detroit, Michigan, in 1903.
Ford is the world’s 5th largest automaker with 2017 global revenues of $156.7 billion and unit sales of 6.25 million. The company’s main product line is the fleet of vehicles it produces under its own name as well as the luxury brand, Lincoln. These vehicles are produced in more than 80 manufacturing facilities in countries such as The United States, Canada, Mexico, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, Australia and South Africa, collectively employing more than 202,000 people.
Ford’s pickup truck line, the F-Series, has been a reliable product for several decades now. From the 1940s through the 1970s, it was widely seen as the gold standard. The economic crisis of 2008-2009 posed a serious threat to Ford’s existence but thanks to government assistance and streamlined production, the company has rebounded strongly.
Looking to build on recent growth, in 2017, new CEO Jim Hackett set a goal of increasing operating margins to 8 percent by 2020. Ford’s lasting legacy is not just in producing cars but also in pioneering the assembly line production process which is embraced by just about every manufacturing sector around the globe.
- Family name: Ford
- Sector: Automotive & Transportation
- Founded: 1903
- Founder: Henry Ford
- Country: USA
- Company headquarters: Dearborn
- Managers: William Ford, Jr., Mark Fields
- Revenue: US$149.6 billion
- Rankings: 11 [Fortune 500]
- Family ownership: 40%
- Employees: 199,000
- Website: www.ford.com
