Henry Ford is praised as a genius by industrialist all over the world for his revolutionary contribution in the Assembly-line Method in Automobile Industry.
It took 12.5 man hours for assembling chassis but with Ford’s contribution it was reduced greatly to 93 man minutes which was an incredible move. Ford produced his first car in 1896. In the year, 1899, he founded Detroit Automobile Company. But with lack of proper investors he left it and with support of a friend, he founded Ford Motor Company in the year 1903.
Ford focused on innovation, proper manufacturing and marketing. He had a vision to make a car for the common man. “I will build a motor car for the great multitude”, he proclaimed.
Ford’s company was highly profitable but the Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers halted his company’s growth and claimed he is not a member of the association and producing cars that run on gasoline by any manufacturer requires their permission and approval as the patent to produce gasoline powered automobile was with the Association and to market his car, Ford and any non-associated manufacturer was asked to pay a huge sum; which threatened the development of the growing Ford Motor Company.
Ford and many upcoming industrialists disliked that their progress and vision is being stunted and Ford was ready to meet them on court. Ford couldn’t win the case as the Association was a multi-million dollar empire and Ford only started to rise. But Ford was a man of spirit and courage, he appealed again in 1911 and defeated the association.
He aimed to make cars affordable so that it is considered a utility and not a luxury. July 30 is his birthday and his dream lives on; making cars for everyone and not just for the elites.