In the village of Springfield, near Dearborn, Michigan. He was the eldest of six children of immigrants from Ireland, William (William Ford) and Mary Ford (Mary Ford), who owned a prosperous farm. Henry spent his childhood on his parents' farm, where he helped his family and attended a rural school.
Ford showed interest in technology at a young age. At the age of 12, he equipped a small workshop, where he enthusiastically spent all free time. It was there that a few years later Ford designed his first steam engine.
In 1879, Henry Ford moved to Detroit, where he got a job as an assistant machinist. Three years later he moved to Dearborn and for five years was engaged in the design and repair of steam engines, moonlighting from time to time at a factory in Detroit.
In 1887, at an electrical convention in Atlantic City, Henry Ford met inventor and millionaire Thomas Edison and told him what he was working on. Ford asked if, in his opinion, internal combustion engines had a future and expected the scientist to burst into a panegyric in praise of the almighty electricity, but he heard: "Keep working on your car. If you achieve the goal that you set for yourself, then I predict a big future". Ford was inspired, Edison himself believed in him.
In the late 1980s, Henry Ford took over as manager of a sawmill.
In 1891 he was an engineer of the Edison Illuminating company, from 1893 he was the company's chief engineer. A decent salary and a sufficient amount of free time allowed Ford to devote more time to the development of internal combustion engines.
In 1899, after leaving the Edison Illuminating company, Henry Ford founded his own company, Detroit Automobile. Despite the fact that the company went bankrupt a year later, Ford managed to assemble several racing cars.
In 1903, twelve businessmen from Michigan, led by Henry Ford, founded the Ford Motor Company. Ford held a 25.5% stake in the company and served as vice president and chief engineer of the company.
A former van factory in Detroit was converted into an automobile plant. Teams of two or three workers, under the direct supervision of Ford, assembled cars from spare parts that were custom-made by other enterprises. Just a month later, the company's first car was released.
In 1905, Ford's financial partners did not agree with his intention to produce cheap cars, as expensive models were in demand. Major shareholder Alexander Malcolmson sold his stake to Ford, who became president and majority owner of the company.
In 1908, Henry Ford made his dream come true by releasing the Model "T", a reliable and inexpensive car that became one of the most popular and popular cars of its time. Ford's car was easy to drive, required little maintenance, and could even run on country roads, becoming a means of transportation rather than a toy for the rich.
In 1913, the conveyor production of the model was established, which led to a significant reduction in cost.
In order to exercise tight control, Ford created full cycle production: from ore mining and metal smelting to the production of a finished car. In 1914, he introduced the highest minimum wage in the United States. wages- $5 a day, allowed workers to share in the company's profits, built a model workers' camp, but until 1941 did not allow unionization in his factories. In 1914, the factories of the corporation began to work around the clock - in 3 shifts of 8 hours each.
In 1909, Ford began cooperation with Russia. Sales offices of the company were opened in St. Petersburg, and then in Moscow, Odessa and the Baltic port cities.
In 1919, at the initiative of the Soviet Bureau in New York, Ford entered into a deal to sell Soviet Russia Fordson tractors, cooperation continued later.
In 1919, Henry Ford and his son Edsel (Edsel Bryant Ford) bought out the company's shares from other shareholders and became the sole owners of the company. In the same year, Edsel inherited from his father the presidency of the company, which he held until his death in 1943. After sudden death son Henry Ford again had to stand at the helm of the company.
In September 1945, Henry Ford transferred powers to his eldest grandson, Henry Ford II (Henry Ford II).
Henry Ford wrote several books, among them: "My Life and Work" (My Life and Work, 1922), "Today and Tomorrow" (Today and Tomorrow, 1926), "Moving Forward" (Moving Forward, 1931).
In 1936, together with his son, he created the Ford Foundation.
In May 1946, Ford was awarded an honorary award for services to the auto industry, and at the end of that year, the American Petroleum Institute presented him with a gold medal for services to society.
On April 7, 1947, Henry Ford died at the age of 83 at his home in Dearborn.
Henry Ford was married to Clara Bryant (1866-1950), they had a son, Edsel Bryant Ford (1893-1943).
The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources
“Can you do something or are you sure you can't - in both cases you are right" / Henry Ford
Studying biographies successful people does not aim to copy their model of behavior. You, my dear reader, must understand that it is your personality that makes you worthy of success.
The hero of our today's article, Henry Ford, said this about this: "All Ford cars are exactly the same, but no two people are exactly the same." The main task of each person is to find his spark of individuality and "keep it going out is your only real reason to play an important role."
But, just as a hammer is the perfect tool for hammering nails, some human qualities and problem-solving methods are so effective that such “tools” are worth adopting.
It is about them that we will talk today.
Henry Ford, the legendary businessman of the twentieth century, the organizer of the assembly line and the "father" of the automobile industry, was born July 30, 1863 on a farm near Dearborn, Michigan.
His family was quite prosperous, but, as Ford noted, "there was too much work in the household, compared with the results." Education, which left much to be desired, Henry received in a church school. Already an adult Ford, drawing up important contracts, still made mistakes. One day he will sue a newspaper that called him “ignorant”, and to the accusation of ignorance he will answer: “If I ... needed to answer your stupid questions, I would only have to press a button in the office, and specialists would appear at my disposal with answers.
Ford did not consider illiteracy to be a disadvantage, but an unwillingness to apply the mind in life: “The most difficult thing in the world is to think with your own head. That's probably why so few people do it."
As a 12-year-old boy, Henry saw a locomobile for the first time. The meeting with the crew with the motor made a great impression on Ford, and this began his attempts to design a moving mechanism. His parents did not approve of his passion for mechanics and dreamed of seeing Henry as a respectable farmer. At the age of 17, when he was apprenticed to a machine shop, they considered him "almost dead".
After 4 years, Ford returns home, and combines day work on the farm with night vigils on the next invention.
In 1887, he marries the daughter of a farmer, Clara Bryant, with whom he will live his entire life. After 4 years, the couple has a son, Edsel. Clara was a smart and calm woman who became a real assistant to the indefatigable Henry. Somehow, when asked by journalists if he wants to live another life, Ford will answer like this: "Only if you can remarry Clara."
To make farm work easier, Ford invents a gasoline-powered corn threshing machine. Ford sells the patent for this invention to Thomas Edison, who invites Henry to join his company. However, even there, in the position of chief engineer, Henry is still most attracted to cars.
He was simply obsessed with the idea of creating a car accessible to everyone. Ford correctly believed that “ideas in themselves are valuable, but every idea is ultimately only an idea. The challenge is to put it into practice." In 1893, in his spare time, Ford designs his first car.
The company's management does not approve of Ford's experiments and advises to abandon them. But Henry remains true to his idea of turning the car from a luxury item into a means of transportation, and, full of hope for the future, leaves the service: “If you have enthusiasm, you can do anything. Enthusiasm is the basis of any progress.”
In 1899, he became a co-owner of the Detroit Automobile Company, but in 1902, due to disagreements, he left there as well.
But if Ford has swung to turn millions of ordinary pedestrians into proud car owners, then nothing can stop him on the chosen path:
“When it seems that the whole world is against you, remember that the plane takes off against the wind!”
At the wheel of his invention, Ford drives around potential customers. But the new Fordmobile is not in demand, and the townsfolk tease Henry as a Begley Street obsession. But does he give up? No. Ford in Once again demonstrates his approach to life's failures, counting them "an opportunity to start again, but more wisely." He believed that honest failure is not humiliating, but the fear of failure is humiliating. It's hard to disagree with him.
After all, there is hardly a person in the world who always gets everything right the first time. Perseverance, determination and perseverance - these are the qualities of a real fighter. “More often people give up than they fail.”, said Henry Ford.
In 1902, he makes an amazing advertisement for his car - driving his car in auto racing, he is ahead of the American champion! Hey Henry! It’s hard to come up with the best PR company, and Ford, like no one else, understands the importance of advertising: "If I had 4 dollars, 3 of them I would give to advertising."
Who doesn't love being around a winner? Ford's clientele soon began to grow. By attracting investors, Henry in 1903 founded a company named after himself - Ford Motor Company.
He throws all his efforts into creating a universal car, simple, reliable and cheap. At that time, the idea of a “car for everyone” was incomprehensible to many, a mass car was something fantastic, like now, for example, a “mass aircraft”. However, Henry cares little about all this, because he believes that “Everything can be done better than it has been done so far.”
Ford simplifies the design of the car, standardizes its parts and mechanisms. He is the first in the world to introduce a conveyor into the production of machines. This innovative solution in the blink of an eye takes him to the leaders of the automotive industry, and leaves the competition far behind.
And although the conveyor was used in the 19th century and before it, when we say "conveyor" - we mean Henry Ford, the man who achieved his dream and unprecedented success with his help.
In 1908, with the release of the Ford T model, good luck comes to the company. Henry's self-designed Ford T was not expensive, but it was practical and much cheaper than competitors' cars. Ernest Hemingway himself drove the Ford T converted into an ambulance van.
Ford-T sales are hugely profitable, because Ford's motto has always been "cheap and good" and not "cheap and bad": Quality is doing something right, even when no one is watching.
In 1909, a Ford T costs $850; in 1913, $550. In 1914, the company celebrates the release of the 10 millionth Ford T. At that time, 10% of all cars in the world were these cars.
In the same 1914, Henry Ford decides to raise the wages of his workers to $5 a day. He believed that:
“If you require someone to give their time and energy to a cause, then take care that he does not experience financial difficulties.”
Maybe, main secret Ford lies not so much in innovations in production as in a humane attitude towards one's neighbor: "My secret of success lies in the ability to understand the point of view of another person and look at things both from his and from my own points of view."
It is at the Ford plant that for the first time in the United States, workers receive an 8-hour shift, a 6-day working week and paid vacation. "The man who invented the day off" additionally rewarded non-smoking and non-drinking workers.
People lined up to get jobs with Ford. When recruiting, he assessed only the willingness to work:
“I don’t care where the person came from – from Sing Sing prison or Harvard. We hire a person, not a story."
There were no issues with staff turnover, although the discipline at the factory was tough. "Time doesn't like being wasted", - said Ford, not allowing himself or the workers to relax. He was convinced that: "Only two incentives make people work: the desire for wages and the fear of losing it."
At his enterprise, Ford implemented the principle "less administrative spirit in business life and more business spirit in administration."
Deciding that paperwork slows down the process of producing cars, Ford at his factory - walk like that! - abolished statistics. At Ford, there were no production meetings, no redundant documentation, and no communication between departments.
Meanwhile, thanks to Henry Ford, more and more people were getting a 4-wheel friend. His workers, receiving a decent salary, bought the Ford T, and soon the growth in sales brought such a profit that Ford bought out all the shares of the company's shareholders.
"Who should be the boss?" is like asking: “Who should be the tenor in this quartet?” Of course, the one who can sing in a tenor,” said Mr. Ford, now the full owner of the company.
By the early 1920s, Henry Ford was selling more cars than all of his competitors combined; out of 10 cars bought in the US, 7 were made by him. It was at this time that he received the title of "car king".
Ford invests in the purchase of other factories, mines, coal mines, and everything that is required to produce cars. Thus, "the owner of factories, newspapers, steamships" creates an entire empire, independent of foreign trade.
At the same time, a successful industrialist does not get hung up on dollars, it is he who owns the phrase:
“The main use of capital is not to make more money but to make money to improve life."
In 1922, Ford published an autobiographical book, My Life, My Achievements, written vividly and figuratively.
However, to live quietly until retirement, reaping the fruits of past successes, neither competitors nor buyers give Henry Ford. Sales of the most affordable car are starting to fall.
The creator of Ford-T believed that "if they bought it once, they will always buy it." However, people wanted variety, and Ford could only offer "A car of any color as long as that color is black."
General Motors provided customers different models cars, and beat competitive advantage Ford - affordability - selling cars on credit.
By 1927, sales of the Ford T had declined so much that Ford was in danger of going bankrupt. "Well-wishers" anticipated the collapse of the businessman, but Ford did not give up this time either. After all, if yesterday's beliefs did not justify themselves, this is just an excuse to come up with something new: “They are everywhere - these strange people who don’t know that yesterday is yesterday, and who wake up every morning with last year’s thoughts in their heads.”
A New Look on the current situation - this is the method of solving problems that should not gather dust in luggage modern man.
By his example, Ford showed that positive thinking works and brings results. If you are sure that luck will come to you, so it will be: "Thinking about the future, the desire to do more, puts the mind in a state where it seems that nothing is impossible."
Ford suspends production and dismisses almost all the workers, while he himself is working on the creation of the next car. In 1927, he presents a new Ford-A model (a prototype of the Soviet Pobeda), which compares favorably with existing ones in terms of technical specifications And appearance.
Ford again emerges victorious. He runs the company until the 30s, and then transfers business to his son, but again returns to the post of head of the company after his death in 1943.
Henry Ford passed away at the age of 83, in the same place where he was born - in the provincial town of Dearborn.
Currently, the company he created is the 4th in the world in terms of car production for the entire period of existence.
Henry Ford, who embodied american dream", saw his mission in improving people's lives, because for him cars were not only cars, but a great source of joy. And when journalists asked him what such a rich man could wish for, Ford answered them like this:
“I would like to improve the world by living in it”.
A worthy answer that we can all think about.
Henry Ford is a world famous American industrialist, inventor, author of 161 US patents, owner of automobile factories around the world. The main task of the great entrepreneur was to release a car for everyone, later this famous phrase and became the slogan of the Ford company, which successfully exists to this day. The main achievement and innovation that he came up with is the use of a conveyor for mass production. A common misconception is that mass production conveyors have never been used before. This is not entirely true: back in the 19th century, many slaughterhouses used similar technologies. Henry was the first inventor to use this technology for a technically complex product - a car.
He was born in a family of emigrants from Ireland, who lived in the suburbs of Detroit. At the age of 16, the young man made a bold and desperate act - he ran away from home and went to work in Detroit. There, a talented teenager found himself in the engineering industry. For several years he served as a mechanical engineer (later chief engineer) at the Edison Electric Company. In 1893, Henry, in his spare time, designed a car on his own. In the period from 1899 to 1902. he was a co-owner of a well-known Detroit company, which he soon left due to disagreements with the other owners. In 1903 a talented and enterprising engineer opened his own company, Ford Motors Company, which immediately faced fierce competition from a syndicate of automakers. In particular, with Selden, who patented the car he designed, containing only common features designs. The syndicate claimed a monopoly in the automotive industry, so the lawsuit was only a matter of time. The first meeting regarding the violation of property rights by Ford took place in 1903, and the case lasted until 1911. To his credit, he courageously opposed a powerful corporation. Among the ploys of the so-called "legitimate manufacturers" was the threat against buyers of Ford cars, whom the syndicate threatened to sue for using a clearly illegal product. Henry endured this blow of fate, promising all clients full protection and compensation for material losses, in the event of judicial sanctions. Initially, the court took the side of the "legitimate manufacturers", but in 1909 the case was reviewed, because. it turned out that none of his cars violated the rights of Selden, tk. Henry's cars used completely different types of engines. Henry's firm gained its greatest popularity and success in 1908, when new model cars - Ford T. In 1910, the entrepreneur built the most modern and well-lit plant called "Highland Park". The latest introduction was the use of a moving conveyor, thanks to which it was possible to reduce the time for the production of a model "T" car from 12 hours to 2. The entrepreneur's innovative views extended not only to technical side question, but also social sphere. So, he set the highest average wage for workers - $ 6 a day. However, only those who could reasonably spend their savings (for families or personal needs) could receive such a salary. Those workers who drank money away, he ruthlessly fired. In the years , Ford personally arrived in Europe in the role of a peacemaker. He tried his best to persuade the governments of the countries to start reconciliation, putting forward arguments that the war would only destroy the economies of the participating countries. In the spring of 1917, the entrepreneur changed his attitude towards the war. The plant began production of gas masks, lungs and boats. At the same time, he publicly stated that he was not going to cash in on wartime, when the country needed equipment to protect its own borders. He promised to return all the profits to the state. Whether this communion of history was carried out is unknown. Died great inventor and entrepreneur at the age of 83 in 1947.
