Ford is one of the most trusted and long-lasting car businesses in the world. Whenever you visit a Ford dealer, you’re working with a company that’s been in operation for about 120 years! While there are a handful of international businesses with a longer lifespan, few American companies have been around that long. Here’s a brief history lesson on how Ford got started.
The Early Days of Ford
According to our team, the Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford and 11 investors in 1903. However, the history of Ford started way before that day, including Ford building his very first auto in 1896. A Detroit native, Ford built what he called a quadricycle and formed the Detroit Automobile Company in 1899 to begin producing vehicles.
Failure and Phoenix-Like Success
Ford’s success was far from assured, and by 1902, he’d been forced out of his auto company and received just $900 for his trouble. While that’s a lot of money for the time, it’s clearly not the millions he made later. Instead, Ford reorganized and created the Ford Motor Company the next year. It was at this time that Ford’s visionary ideas finally started to see success.
The Assembly Line Changes Everything
The first autos were built by hand and could only be produced at a rate of a few cars per day, even with multiple skilled technicians working at the same time. However, Ford innovated the idea of the assembly line, which featured multiple people adding just a few parts to a car at a time. This greatly sped up production and helped many a Ford dealer pop up across Michigan.
Production for War
While Henry Ford was a pacifist at first during World War I, he was also a businessman first. As a result, when the nation finally did go to war, he produced multiple vehicles for the military in his factories. These inexpensive but high-quality designs helped the United States in its war efforts and fueled an even higher range of success for Ford Motor Company.
Next time you visit a Ford dealer in your area, know that you’re walking into a historic firm that has helped change the world in many ways. For example, Ford’s assembly line concept has been used in just about every manufacturing business around the nation. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re interested in learning more about Ford’s history or even taking one for a test drive.
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