Because he established a vast network of auto plants, Henry Ford is frequently referred to as the founder of the automotive industry. Ford is rightfully regarded as the best innovator having received 161 patents. The businessman committed his entire life to producing affordable automobiles and aiming to make them available to everyone. He was the first to produce equipment using a conveyor belt for flow production. The Ford Motor Company, a businessman’s creation, is still in operation today and is run by his family.
Childhood
On July 30, 1863, the future industrialist was born on his father’s farm close to the Michigan town of Dearborn. Parents William Ford and Marie Lithogot left Ireland to immigrate to the United States. The boy grew up with two sisters and three brothers.
In addition to being regarded wealthy, father and mother worked on the farm. However, Henry did not try to carry on his parents’ employment because even as a young child he was certain that managing a household involved considerably more work than the rewards of labor.
Ford received his only education at a church school and never even learned how to write perfectly. He was unable to properly draft a contract when he took over as the company’s leader. An entrepreneur launched a lawsuit against a newspaper because it had once labeled him ignorant. However, the inventor never wavered in his conviction that a person’s capacity for thought—rather than reading and writing—is what matters most.
Henry was stunned when he lost his mother when he was twelve years old. The future businessman first laid eyes on a locomobile at that age. He was thrilled to see the carriage move under the power of the engine and resolved to put together the moving mechanism himself going forward. However, the father disapproved of the child’s interest in mechanics since he wanted the heir to become a farmer.
Carrier initialization
Ford moved to Detroit at the age of sixteen to work as an apprentice in a machine shop. After four years, he went back to the farm where he spent the days fixing things around the house and the nights coming up with new ideas. When Henry was younger, he invented a gasoline-powered threshing machine to help his father with his everyday tasks. A buyer was found quickly since such equipment was in high demand. After selling Thomas Edison the invention’s patent, Henry was hired by the well-known businessman.
Henry went back to Detroit in 1891 to work for Thomas Edison as a mechanical engineer. While serving in this capacity until 1899, he continued to work on building a machine in his spare time. Not only did Ford pursue his passion, but he also lived with the dream of building an automobile that was reasonably priced. He was able to accomplish his goal in 1893 by creating the first automobile.
The Edison Company’s management discouraged employees from pursuing their hobbies and suggested giving up on ambitious projects. Rather, the future industrialist quit his work and joined the Detroit Automobile Company as one of its shareholders in 1899. However, the man did not stay long at all; three years later, he quit the business as a result of disagreements with the other co-owners.
The young business owner’s invention was not very popular at the time. Ford used his personal vehicle to cruise the city and draw in consumers. He was also referred to as “the possessed man from Begley Street” and frequently made fun of at the same time. However, the man hated the dread of losing and was not frightened of failing. He participated in auto racing in 1902 and defeated the current US champion. The inventor’s goal was to promote the vehicle and highlight its benefits, and he succeeded in doing so.
Enterprise
The ambitious industrialist founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903 and started making Ford A automobiles. His goal was to introduce his clients to a cost-effective and dependable all-purpose vehicle. Ford gradually streamlined its design and standardized its components and functions. Furthermore, he produced vehicles on a conveyor for the first time, which was a true invention. A gifted entrepreneur made significant progress in the automobile sector and assumed a leadership role.
Ford battled against the strongest opponent because he was unafraid of challenges. Ford Motor and the automakers’ syndicate battled, and the young entrepreneur retaliated. George Selden was granted a patent in 1879 for an automobile design, but he never put it into practice. When other businesses started manufacturing machines, the inventor started filing lawsuits. Following the initial victory in court, several businesses purchased licenses from him and established an organization of automakers.
The industrialist’s trial commenced in 1903 and continued until 1911. Ford assured his clients of his protection and declined to purchase a license. He lost the case in 1909, but during a retrial, the court decided that since all automakers had different engine designs, they all followed the law and did not infringe on Selden’s patent rights. The automakers’ alliance fell apart as a result, and Henry became well-known for standing out for the rights of consumers.
The successful introduction of the Ford-T in 1908 marked the achievement of the gifted inventor. The Ford-T was notable for its practicality, low cost, and straightforward design. Converted into an ambulance, this car was even chosen by Ernest Hemingway.
Ford Motor Company’s sales increased quickly as a result of its reasonably priced, high-quality vehicles. Concurrently, the price of the Ford T decreased over time; if it was $850 in 1909, it was only $550 in 1913.
The United States has been a member of the Entente in the First World War since 1917. Subsequently, Henry Ford’s factories started manufacturing tanks, gas masks, helmets, and submarines in response to military requests. However, the businessman made it clear that he didn’t want to profit from the carnage and pledged to give the government back any earnings. Ford’s power increased as a result of his fellow countrymen warmly welcoming his patriotic desire.
Falling Ford T sales presented the gifted inventor with a fresh challenge following the war. Ford Motor’s product lineup was narrow, and customers desired diversity. Although it was true that Ford could produce cars in any color as long as they were black, this statement no longer suited the needs of the consumer. The business owner sold vehicles on credit in an effort to make them affordable, but General Motors, a rival, outperformed him by providing a wider range of models.
Sales were falling, and Ford was on the verge of bankruptcy by 1927. Then the creator put an end to the manufacturing and started working on a new vehicle. His son, who contributed to the car’s design, was another source of assistance. The entrepreneur unveiled the Ford A model that same year, which stood out for its amazing looks and enhanced technical features. Henry regained its position as the industry leader in the automobile sector because to these advancements.
The businessman made the decision to create Ford Airways, an airline, back in 1925. Following its acquisition of William Stout’s business, Ford started making airplanes. The Ford Trimotor subsequently gained a lot of popularity. From 1927 until 1933, this passenger airplane was produced in large quantities. There were 199 copies made, and they were in use until 1989.
Henry was an advocate of USSR-US economic collaboration in the 1920s. The Fordson tractor served as the model for the Fordson-Putilovets, the first mass-produced tractor in the Soviet Union, which was introduced in 1923. Workers of Ford Motor Company helped build and renovate plants in Gorky and Moscow between 1929 and 1932.
Although Ford managed to comfortably survive the early years of the Great Depression, the firm was also impacted by the crisis in 1931. Ford was obliged to reduce wages for its surviving employees and close several of its operations due to declining sales and heightened competition. The outraged mob started to encroach on the Rouge plant; only the use of guns by the police allowed them to scatter the multitude.
With the help of a novel innovation, the industrialist managed to get out of a sticky situation. He displayed the Ford V 8, a sports vehicle with a top speed of 130 km/h. The company was able to boost revenues and restore full operations thanks to the new product.
Features of Production
Ford updated the fundamental ideas of the school of scientific management while also relying on Frederick Taylor’s theory to organize businesses. Later, this strategy was dubbed “Fordism.” The businessman promoted the proactive application of scientific knowledge to improve and invigorate manufacturing procedures. Henry is thought to have implemented the ideas that economists subsequently dubbed “lean manufacturing” in real life.
The businessman was the first to use an assembly line to produce cars in 1913. Production time was shortened by having multiple personnel assemble each engine through independent tasks. They also didn’t need any particular training. Additionally, a movable platform was employed, which allowed for the chassis to be constructed in half the time. Numerous facets of the production process were impacted by these tests, which raised output and efficiency.
The industrialist gradually built new factories and bought coal and mining properties. He was able to complete the production cycle in this way, from the extraction of ore to the making of automobiles. Consequently, the entrepreneur established a whole empire that existed independently of other businesses and international trade. Ford produced 10 million automobiles in 1914, or 10% of all automobiles worldwide.
Henry aimed to enhance factory working conditions. The salary for laborers has risen to $5 per day since 1914. However, staff were required to use the money carefully in order to receive it. The worker was sacked if their money were used to purchase alcohol.
Instead of two nine-hour shifts, businesses set up a work plan consisting of three eight-hour hours. The business owner also instituted paid time off and one day off. Ford had no shortage of employees because of the favorable working environment that drew thousands of workers despite the stringent disciplinary requirements. Nevertheless, trade unions were prohibited from operating in American industrialists’ facilities until 1941.
Ford sold more automobiles in the early 1920s than all of its rivals put together. His company built seven of the 10 cars that were sold in the US. The industrialist started to be referred to as the “automobile king” at this time.
Self-Devotion
In his autobiography “My Life, My Achievements,” Henry Ford vividly detailed the ways in which the company organized its operations. Numerous businesses embraced the concepts in this book, and quotations from the inventor’s words are still applicable today.
In this work, the entrepreneur in particular discussed his views on charitable giving, stressing that he personally opposes professional benefits and institutions like almshouses and orphanages. He contended that the moment someone’s willingness to assist others turns into a business, “her heart dies, and it becomes a cold, fruitless affair.” Therefore, businesses that offer decent pay and working conditions are what can assist, in Ford’s opinion.
It is well known that Ford gave the advancement of healthcare considerable attention in addition to his main business. When Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit opened its doors in 1915, it quickly rose to prominence as one of the most advanced medical facilities available. Specifically, they created an incubator, started adding iodine to table salt for patients, practiced giving heparin to prevent blood clots, and carried out a cardiogram.
Arab anti-Semitism and political opinions
A few of the passages in Ford’s biography provoked criticism from his peers. Thus, the inventor started disseminating anti-Semitic sentiments two years after purchasing The Dearborn Independent in 1918. Several works on this subject were collected into one book in 1920 under the title “International Jewry.” The Nazis then made aggressive use of Ford’s writings and ideas to sway the next generation.
Three presidents and 119 other well-known US citizens attacked the inventor’s ideas in 1921. In 1927, Ford issued an apologetic letter to the media acknowledging his mistakes.
The businessman continued to communicate with the NSDAP and even gave the Nazis financial support. Ford was greatly respected by Adolf Hitler, who kept his portrait at his Munich home. The Federal List of Extremist Materials in Russia includes the book Mein Kampf, which only mentions Henry Ford as an American. Producing automobiles and aviation engines, the Henry Ford plant was located in Poissy, France, which was under Nazi occupation during World War II.
Individual existence
Ford led a contented and balanced personal life. Henry Bryant wed Clara Bryant, a modest farmer’s daughter, in 1887. The inventor had a happy and cordial relationship with Clara. His wife turned into a dependable source of support. When the villagers made fun of him and disparaged his colleagues, Bryant continued to trust in her husband. In an interview, Ford once declared that the only reason he would want to live another life is if he could remarry Clara.
The couple’s lone child, Edsel (whose archive images have been preserved), was born in 1893 and went on to become his father’s primary helper. Henry and Edsel had disagreements all the time, yet it never affected their cordial relationship or ability to work together. The son favored modern art, jazz, loud parties, and cocktails, whereas the father abstained from alcohol and enjoyed country dancing and bird watching.
Death
Up until the 1930s, the “Car King” oversaw Ford Motor, at which point he gave Edsel command. The businessman resigned from his position as company manager due to disagreements with trade union organizations and partners. Ford’s son was used to his newfound authority, having held the position of acting president since 1919. Once his son passed away in 1943 due to stomach cancer, the elderly entrepreneur took over as leader of the vehicle empire.
However, his elderly age prevented him from leading the business at the appropriate level, so two years later he handed over control to his grandson, Henry Ford II. On April 7, 1947, the exceptional innovator passed away; a brain hemorrhage was the cause of death. He was in his eighties.
Ford succeeded in realizing a childhood ambition and departed from one of the biggest automakers globally. The industrialist’s primary goal, however, was not to make money but rather to make people’s lives better by creating vehicles, which was his favorite pastime.