Jim Farley’s Post

Ford’s South African Operating Committee spent a morning working on the Silverton assembly line last week, joining operators at various parts of the line that builds the Ford Ranger. While I have been humbled many times this year, working (half) a shift fitting window regulators will go down as one of the most memorable. We met people that have worked that line for 40 years, others that have spent a decade in a particular station, repeating the same process 200+ times a day. In a chat with the wonderful operator that taught me the ropes last week, she asked what my day looks like and what we do. I told her that we have a lot of meetings, and that we sit for most of the day talking about things. Contrasted with her reality – where there is no sitting and there are no meetings, and she is producing a tangible output every day – it felt a little empty. But on reflection this kind of contrasting reality is one of the reasons the automotive industry is so fascinating to work in. Whether with our Dealers, Suppliers, Head Office or Assembly Line, the experience of working in an industry that produces a physical product alongside ideas that will shape the future is a privilege. It is complicated only by the fact that we don’t take the time to understand each other’s reality. Listening is the first step but doing the work to really understand – and then finding compromises underpinned by every individual taking full accountability for their part of the puzzle – is what’s building a winning team. #Gemba #Collaboration #Manufacturing #FordSouthAfrica

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Referring to a report by BILD about significant changes at #Ford's management level in Germany, leading to speculation about the company's #future in the country. The dissolution of the management team has raised concerns among #employees and the #public about potential job losses, not only within Ford but also among #suppliers. This situation is indeed #alarming if true, as it could indicate a shift in the #automotive industry in Germany, which has long been a stronghold for car #manufacturing. Ford Motor Company

✨ Always trust your instincts. They are messages from your soul! ✨ Henry Ford is a familiar name, right? We know him as someone who championed the creation of the assembly line and created the well-known Ford brand. He almost didn’t become a household name, though. Early in his business, he came to a point where he couldn’t keep employees and no one was buying his cars. He decided to make a gut change that only made sense to him- he DOUBLED what he was paying his employees and shortened the workday by an hour. You know what happened? Employees stayed. Profits doubled. More people could afford to buy the cars that Ford was selling. All because he trusted his instincts. You’re going to come across hundreds of life events that require you to listen to your instincts. Whether to stay in a relationship. Deciding if you’re going to take a new job offer. Even if it’s safe to get in a taxi. Trust your instincts- they’re sending you a message you need to hear! When is a time that you reacted out of instinct? #JoySceizina #instincts #knowyourworth

As we say at Ford, be curious! Rearview Monday - Most young car enthusiasts may not know that the Ford Maverick had a prior life before becoming the world's best-selling small truck. It was also Ford's best-selling compact car, even reviling the Mustang in sales in its first and second years of production. Go Positively Speaking Up, Go Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, Go Always Deliver, Go Outpace the Competition, Go, Ford, Go Engineering, Go EV Revolution, Go Customer Experience, Go Design and Software Teams, Go UAW, Go Strategy Team, Go Auto, Go All Industries! #innovationliveshere #aheadofthecurve #diversityandinclusion #careabouteachother #opportunities #strategy #manufacturing #EVs #Blueovalcity #professionalism #innovationneversleeps #changingthegame #relentleespursuitofperfection #newageautomotivehistory

An Incredible 2 Day Mini-Bus Tour Visit to Ford's Brownstown Parts Complex and the National Parts Distribution Center in Livonia Michigan The Ford Production System Team (FPS) spent two incredible days touring and evaluating Ford's magnificent Brownstown Parts Complex and The National Distribution Center. Both of these facilities are unique to Ford. The Brownstown Parts Complex is 3.1 million Square Feet and has been recognized for its efficiency by the Ducker Carlisle (Global Consulting Firm). The National Parts Distribution Center is the Birthplace and the Cemetery for Service Parts. There is no other facility like it in the world. An incredible amount of revenue is generated from these facilities. Rima Jasser (Global FPS Lean 6-Sigma) set up the initial consultation with Ted Canis (Ford Pro CEO) and Michele DeTombeur (Global Director of Parts Supply). They discussed the purpose and laid the foundation for the 2-day event. The 2-day event was attended by Theron McGee (North America FPS Lean 6-Sigma Manager), William Harmych (Global Maintenance Strategist), Volkan Okutkan (Global Strategist), and Jonathan McRae (Global Strategist). The first task on the team's agenda was to review all of the Best Practices from the incredible facilities and look for replication opportunities throughout Ford. The 2nd task was for the FPS Team to review the incredible facilities using a Lean Lens (pursuit of waste elimination). Using a Lean Lens the FPS Team was able to gather information to optimize both facilities using Innovation and Principles of Lean. We had the privilege of interviewing employees from both facilities. We asked, what could we do to make your job better? Tara White provided feedback that will enable Service Parts to get binned correctly. This eliminates waste by reducing wait time and the Service Parts can get to the dealer quicker. The suggestions from the other employees were just as outstanding as Tara's. The FPS Team would like to thank the following Team Members that aided us on our incredible Mini-Bus Tour. Erhan Yengulalp (Director of Distribution Logistics), Rick McGrath (Plant Manager NPD), and Eric Stemmer (NPD Manager), and Brent Osterland (Director of Packaging Operations). A special thanks to Ted Canis, Bryce Currie, and Rima Jasser for the opportunity to review these fantastic facilities through a Lean Lens. #RimaJasser #BryceCurrie #TedCanis #VolkanOkutkan #JonathanMcRae #WilliamHarmych #ErhanYengulalp

A CLOSER LOOK AT FORD UNIVERSITY... ONE OBJECTIVE OF FORD UNIVERSITY IS TO CLEARLY ADDRESS RETAIL AUTO'S LACK OF ENTHUSIASM FOR EVs...AT LEAST WITH FORD DEALERS! ** Ford certainly isn't the only brand suffering from a lack of dealer enthusiasm! A closer look at the first 11 seconds of this video clearly address the need for more EV education at the dealer level. And isn't it interesting that they chose a woman, who evidentially ended up buying a 2023 Ford Mustang MACH E As EV shopper Kristen Ellison says...."there's so much more I need to know!" Breaking it down.. 00.00 - 0:11 Woman shopping an electric vs gas powered vehicle...AND THERE'S MUCH MORE I NEED TO KNOW!! I'll share more later...but kudo's to Ford Motor Company and their new Global Director of Dealer Training & Productivity / Head of Ford University Abby Vietor, Kathy Munoz & team. Ted Ings Ed Roberts Thomas Druzynski ⚡️George Thurman 🔋John Fitzpatrick Natasha Fay Cox Sarah Vantine Peter Barba Camila Notaro Lectrium Pete Petersen Cheryl Thompson Jody Striegel Lloyd Steeves II Jim True