Henry Ford

Ford was an ordinary man who found an extraordinary way of doing business. He learned from his mistakes, rose above his obstacles and ignored the critics to follow his dreams and become one of the most successful businessmen of the 20th century. And, he never stopped dreaming. When asked in his later years to reflect on his company’s success, Ford said, “The progress has been wonderful enough – but when we compare what we have done with what there is to do, then our past accomplishments are as nothing.”

1899: Founded Detroit Automobile Company.

1903: Founded Henry Ford Company and Ford Motor Company.

“I will build a motor car for the great multitude.. It will be so low in price that no man will be unable to own one” –Henry Ford

At the time, “horseless carriages” were expensive toys available only to a wealthy few. Yet in just four decades, Ford’s innovative vision of mass production would not only produce the first reliable, affordable “automobile for the masses,” but would also spark a modern industrial revolution. “Paying attention to simple little things that most men neglect makes a few men rich,” said Ford. By focusing on producing cars in the most economically efficient way possible, Ford was not only successful in creating a low-cost car that the masses could afford, but he also revolutionized the entire manufacturing industry by introducing the moving assembly line. Whether it was his early days on the farm or his time at the top of the auto industry, Ford never stopped looking for ways to improve efficiency.

1909: Introduced Model T automobile.

 Ford reasoned that if each worker remained in one assigned place and performed one specific task, they could build automobiles more quickly and efficiently. In concocting his vision of the perfect team, Ford decided to make all his employees equal by removing titles on his workshop floors. Instead, he both encouraged workers to be responsible and accountable and supported innovation at the individual level. Ford ignored the controversy, hiring workers regardless of their pasts and refusing to hire so-called experts, whom he believed would actually slow the innovation process down. “I cannot discover that anyone knows enough to say definitely what is and what is not possible,” he said. Ford also created a new high-wage of pay, which he believed would not only create a loyal workforce but would contribute to the nation’s prosperity.

 At peak efficiency, the old system had spit out a finished Model T in 12 and a half working hours. The new system cut that time by more than half. Ford refined and perfected the system, and within a year it took just 93 minutes to make a car.

1918: Named son Edsel Ford as president of Ford Motor Company.

1919: Built River Rouge automobile plant.

1927: Stopped production of Model T.

In May 1927, Ford laid off thousands of workers while he figured out a way to get back into the marketplace. At the age of 64 he was starting over. 

1928: Introduced Model A automobile.

With the release of a brand new Model A, Ford came roaring back to life. When the stock market crashed in October 1929, Ford Motor Co. was better off than most of its competitors. Thanks to the success of the new Model A, the company rode out the first two years of the Depression relatively untouched. Henry Ford even raised his workers’ wages while dropping the price of his automobile. But he could only hold out for so long.

1943: Became president of Ford Motor Company again after Edsel’s death. 

In May 1943, 50-year-old Edsel Ford died. So at the age of 80, in spite of his clearly diminished capacities, Henry Ford once again took up the reigns of Ford Motor Co. I n August 1943, the Navy sent Ford’s 26-year-old grandson home in hopes that Henry Ford II could bring order to the chaos that Ford had become. For months Clara Ford tried to convince Henry to step down and let their grandson take over. But Ford held out. Finally, Edsel’s widow, Eleanor, threatened to sell her considerable holdings in the company if her son wasn’t immediately named president

1945: Retired from Ford Motor Company.

Finally, Edsel’s widow, Eleanor, threatened to sell her considerable holdings in the company if her son wasn’t immediately named president. Henry Ford relented, and in September 1945 the crown was passed to Henry Ford II.

After stepping down as president, Ford went into seclusion, appearing only occasionally at company events. The raging fire that him driven him for more than eight decades had died out. 

1947: Died.

On an April evening in 1947, Ford laid his head on his wife’s shoulder and died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 84. Tens of thousands of people lined up to view Henry Ford’s body as it lay in state. Some factories closed, while others shut down for a moment of silence. In all, it’s estimated that several million workers were involved in some kind of demonstration of sympathy for the man who had irrevocably changed their lives and taught America to drive.

For Ford, money was the pleasant by-product of a life dedicated to service. His goal was to bring a high quality, affordable car to the masses in order to improve their standards of living and he believed that only by doing so would he achieve success. He believed that no business was worthwhile nor would it achieve prosperity if it were not devoted to a useful service, one that would contribute to the wealth of society in general.