Ford introducing One Manufacturing global production system

By Tim Beissmann
August 08th, 2012

FIND DEALS

Ford Motor Company is supporting its largest global expansion in half a century by introducing a single manufacturing process designed to make the company an industry leader in lowest total cost production.

Ford global manufacturing vice president John Fleming says the ‘One Manufacturing’ system will lead to improved efficiencies and increased plant capacity utilisation.

“The global One Ford plan is making it possible for us to deploy One Manufacturing, a single Ford production system that will pay tremendous dividends through standard processes, greater flexibility and improved investment efficiency,” Fleming said.

“It is critical that all of our assembly operations, wherever they are located, speak the same language when it comes to producing high-quality vehicles in a safe and efficient way.”

Ford is boosting its production capacity around the world, particularly in our Asia Pacific Africa (APA) region, where it is adding nine new plants. The new facilities will boost Ford APA’s capacity to 2.9 million vehicles per year, as Ford targets eight million global sales per year by the middle of this decade.

Under the One Manufacturing system, some plants will be capable of producing up to seven different models, and each of the new factories will get its own flexible body shop.

Ford Australia’s Sinead Phipps told CarAdvice the manufacturer’s local operations have been involved with the development of the One Manufacturing system, at times taking a lead role in some of the projects.

“In terms of global manufacturing processes, we’re a part of any of those discussions and any of those processes that they roll out globally,” Phipps said.

“If there are any applicable ones for us we implement them in line with the rest of the world as well.

“Particularly in this region – because we are a mature plant, our staff have been working in manufacturing for quite a long time – we test out some of those processes in this region. We’re sometimes the lead plant depending on what it is.”

The One Ford/One Manufacturing strategy dictates that as the company opens new plants it will reduce the number of platforms that vehicles are developed on.

Asked whether the strategy was bad news for Ford Australia – which so far this year has sold just 19,920 Falcon sedans and utes and Territory SUVs, all of which are produced on a platform that is unique in the Ford world – Phipps said the plan to reduce the number of vehicle platforms was not news to it.

“That’s been Ford’s global position for a number of years now with One Ford. It’s about reducing the number of platforms that we produce.

“With Focus, for example, we used to have two different Focuses in different parts of the world, now we have one global Focus. We have one global Fiesta, we’ve got the global Ranger, which was obviously developed here.

“Ford’s global One Ford policy has looked at B-cars, C-cars, C/D-cars with the Mondeo and Fusion, and they’re looking at what’s next with that. That’s what we’ve concentrated on at this stage.”

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Dirty Roads

Yawn
- Troll No. 66
  
  Thanks for your worthless contribution dickhead.
  - Nobody
    
    You must be a sorry a*^ employee who got kicked out of Ford.
    - union
      
      No. you are a dickhead!
      - Nobody
        
        No. Its your surname!
Xxcd

Seriously was looking at Ford, and the Falcon was the only car even remotely interesting! Their cars are just so boring, bland are badly designed & executed..! Terrible build quality..

Toyota Corolla may look boring, but it has subtle elegence to it, it’s very well built and the top spec looks good.. It’s much quieter inside and the drive is more effortless compared with the rest..
- Dudeface
  
  Get a clue mate. My Focus XR5 looks a million times better than any Corolla, goes like the clappers and has taken every bit of punishment I’ve thrown at it without batting an eyelid. The build quality is has held up perfectly so far (4 years old). And you know what? It’s fun and entertaining to drive. I actually still get a grin on my face every time I drive it. As for a Corolla fan calling Ford ‘bland and boring’… well that just takes the cake. Stick to your ‘driving appliance’ pal.. the only one missing out is you..
  - Patrick
    
    Dude face, you need to move on from bogan fords, nobody would be seen dead in a ford in my street for fear of being labelled a bogan,
    and what’s the point of this story, it is of no use here when Ford closes down in 2 years
    - Garrywhopper
      
      I reckon you live in fag street
      - PoisonEagle
        
        lmao best comment ever.
    - Dudeface
      
      Pray tell, Patrick, what esteemed badge has to be glued to the cars in your street to pass muster? Do you even own a car for that matter?
      
      Your last sentence just highlights your lack of knowledge. Even if Ford stop building cars in Australia, that only affects the Falcon and Territory. They won’t be ‘closing down’ any time soon.
      - Garrywhopper
        
        Yeah Patrick you stupid Mick
    - Modern Man
      
      I suppose driving a german taxi (Mercedes) is a better trend setting argument?
      Most people in aus believe the cache of the VW or Mazda brand is better than Ford. If you look in Europe it is the other way around. Ford, VW, Opel then Mazda. In europe they know the mazda (and any other Japanese Cars) are setup for old people and are not fun to drive. if people just gave cars a chance without bad mouthing them we would see a completly different set of vehicles on the road.
      Case in point is i wourk for a multi franchise dealership.
      A new salesman started and assumed a toyota corolla was the best car in the world due to so many being on the road. Didnt even look at anything else.
      Realises now it doesnt drive well, doesnt go well, uses more fuel than it needs to, and has shocking resale due to the amount of ex fleet and ex renters in the market. He is now Stuck for three years.
      Everyone, do yourself a favour and drive everything you may even be comparing. not all cars suit all people but you just might be suprised that the badge nowadays means very little.
    - Mick
      
      I bet Patricia has a VW Golf, which is the automotive equivalent of a man carrying a handbag.
      
      If you are going to buy a small car, at least get something respectable (the old Focus XR5 is a good example).
      
      I wonder where Patricia even lives. Probably with a bunch of tree hugging Green voters in Glebe.
      
      Anyway, plenty of wealthy people still buy Holdens and Fords, at least in the waterfront Sydney street where my wife’s grandfather lives.
Schah7

Listen “X crossdresser” perhaps you should get back to your girlie clothes. Cause we dont want “your type” driving a Ford anyway
- Nobody
  
  And you think by driving a cab in a fancy colour, you are a trend setter!
- Basil Exposition
  
  I’m a Falcon ute driving cross dresser work boots and mascara rule.
- Patrick
  
  I take it you mean a bogan?
Aaron

It is kind of trendy when they last so long ……. That is why they use Fords as Taxis,

Fords cars are way better than the average, they have new technology that most cars are just starting to follow. Next time you go into a Ford dealer you many want to try having your glasses replaced first, or maybe you are Blind and need to take your white cane and you blind dog with you Xxcd
- Patrick
  
  Why are their sales tanking then ? Even Hyundai outsells Ford….hahaha LOL
  - Lox
    
    Large cars are out of favor. Plus Ford isn’t chasing the fleet markets so much. The current Falcon is a great car in the wrong time (high fuel prices, massive import competition, reduced tariffs). The ones I’ve owned have been trouble free. Half the haters have probably never even driven one…
  - fredly
    
    Most of their cars are sourced from Europe and are not cost competitive. The Thai pickup plant was sold to Mazda and now they can only get Rangers at a price that Mazda will sell them for. The Falcon is seen as a rednecks car.
    
    Ford is not making money, and while it is nominally independent, it is totally dependent on US government funding. They’ve savagely cut production capacity in Europe as they can’t justify spending US govt money on foreign plants, which has increased their production costs further.
    - Random Month
      
      Actually Ford was the only US manufacturer that did not need nor ask for government bailout money.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_YQLKLFNYP3UFBFAGOV2LNDSREA Robert Ryan

Too bad , Ford is pretty ordinary when it comes to marketing, getting the product right for the market.
Laurie

So that means the next Mondeo suspension will be a floating American setup not a European sports set up like the existing models Sinead Phipps…. well I’ll refrain from making comments
- PoisonEagle
  
  No, I believe the chassis tuning is region specific, thankfully. Focus went through the same thing and our one has the European tune, not the US one. In any case, I think the US market is maturing a bit and starting to prefer European-ish cars.
  - Laurie
    
    Thank god! thanks for that PoisionEagle
davie

A few observations:

Ford world standarisation not new – Current Ford Broadmeadows factory in Aus was constructed to Fords standardised factory design of the time, which included being able to handle 7 foot of snow on the roof, even though it never snows there.

This significant focus on standarisation must surely mean the end of the road for current Falcon platform with its unique I6 engines, RWD chassis and relatively low sales. Next Falcon (if it is called that) will be shared with something else in Fords world range (Mondeo or Mustang?).

Parts suppliers have an opportunity here. Once the falcon is standardised, the supplier parts will no-doubt fit a larger number of standardised cars world wide.
Peanut

They are adding 9 Plants to the Asia Pacific Region.
Which region are we in?
Maz

“Under the One Manufacturing system, some plants will be capable of producing up to seven different models, and each of the new factories will get its own flexible body shop.”

Great, so lets get a plant setup to accomodate a Mustang for Australia!
- Rocket
  
  Mustang and Lincoln could be built in Australia for export to RHD markets which would be the only saviour for Ford in the long term.
JD

what bulshit is this one ford policy.

we dont even get half of ford’s line up (*looks at mustang pic*) and myford sync in the cars
Peanut

To me One Ford Policy is One Ford for the USA, One Ford for Everyone Else.
We don’t have to make a list of all the Model Fords that are available for the USA only to know that there is a lot.
Then they say they are opening 9 new plants in the region while they let us tank and die here because they will not make a decision as to what our role will be.
Either pull the pin now or announce the future here so we can move on. It is sickening to watch this go on and on like this.
No Fears

If a local parts supplier was relying on Falcon production to remain viable,would that supplier remain in business?
APV supplying Holden Ford & Toyota could not remain viable & possibly saw the writing on the wall & were forced to make a decision.The outcome is yet to be realised & a “restructure” may resurrect it.
My gut feeling the restructure will see APV as an importer rather than a manufaturer which could be the thin edge of the wedge,the Campbellfield site may become a very large warehouse for imported cars like Ranger,Mondeo,Focus & Fiesta.
If this is to be, Australia has come full circle whereby every consumer item was imported & raw materials shipped out.
Don’t care about M
ustang or Lincoln,how compomised would a cheapo RHD version be.
- Maz
  
  “Don’t care about Mustang or Lincoln,how compomised would a cheapo RHD version be.”
  
  Well Holden export the Caprice to the yanks for law enforcement? It wouldn’t be hard to accomodate a RHD version for us! The market would be huge here!
  
  I’d buy a GT Mustang tomorrow, if the price was even remotely close the US RRP.
  The only way to do that now is to pay the compliance workshop around $30k for conversion!! What a joke!
http://www.autopten.com/ Autopten

Let’s hope this helps to increase the quality of their cars too.