Ford Motor Co. has established a new end-to-end organization, Product Creation and Industrialization, which it says will deliver one of the most intensive product, software, and services rollouts in the company’s history.
The new structure, which integrates Ford’s Electric Vehicle, Digital, and Design team with its global Industrial System, is a key lever in achieving the company’s Ford+ objectives, including its target of an 8% adjusted EBIT margin by 2029, according to a Ford press release.
“This is the culmination of years of work and progress to create the modern Ford – a talented, unified organization capable of scaling high-quality, software-defined vehicles with a choice of propulsion, distinctive digital experiences and features, and a personalized ownership experience that improves over time,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO, in the release.
By creating the Product Creation and Industrialization team, Ford says it will be able to turn its highest‑volume vehicles into platforms for digital growth.
The release says this includes:
“Massive portfolio renewal: By 2029, Ford will refresh 80% of its North American portfolio by volume and 70% of its global portfolio by volume.
“The ‘skunkworks’ breakthrough: The UEV platform represents a step-change in efficiency, affordability, and digital experiences… Its design utilizes ‘unicastings’ to reduce weight and complexity, enabling a new, more efficient assembly process.
“Always-improving experiences: By 2030, 90% of Ford’s vehicles by volume will feature updated electrical architectures, in-house developed user experiences and hardware, and next-generation over-the-air capabilities for continuous improvement in experiences and services.
“Electrification: Nearly 90% of Ford’s global nameplates will offer electrified powertrains by 2030.“
Ford Chief Operating Officer Kumar Galhotra will lead the unified Product Creation and Industrialization organization. The team will be responsible for scaling Ford’s digital, design, and EV breakthroughs across its global industrial system, ensuring that innovative technologies are integrated with world-class engineering, purchasing, and manufacturing, the release states.
“The progress our teams have made in the past few years – from quality and cost to software delivery – has fundamentally reshaped the way we work and positioned Ford for a new era,” Galhotra said in the release. “By uniting advanced technology with industrial execution, we can make decisions faster, eliminate complexity, and deliver great vehicles and digital experiences with the quality and efficiency our customers and shareholders expect.”
Doug Field, who joined Ford nearly five years ago to lead the company’s shift to electrified, connected, and software-defined vehicles, has elected to leave the company after a transition over the next month.
During his tenure, Field embedded high-tech capabilities into the company while building a world-class team and culture, the release states. It says Field also helped foster collaboration between the Electric Vehicle, Digital & Design, and Industrial System teams, making the full integration possible.
Alan Clarke is promoted to vice president of advanced development projects, and will continue to lead the Advanced Electric Vehicle Development team.
The “skunkworks” model, small teams of world-class engineers given the autonomy to innovate before industrialization, has proven to be a highly effective engine for breakthrough products, and Ford will leverage it for select future programs, the release states.
Kieran Cahill, Ford vice president of manufacturing, Europe and IMG, is retiring effective May 1.
During his 37-year career at the company, Ford says Cahill has championed manufacturing and continuous improvement, overseeing some of Ford’s most innovative and best-performing plants.
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Featured image provided by Ford
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