@Ford
Connecting Asia Pacific and Africa · March/April 2011
Building the
Future of Ford
ASEAN meets the Ranger · Health and Safety Awards · One Ford, One Voice
content
03
10
Growing
opportunities
by Joe Hinrichs
President, Asia Pacific and Africa
Ford Motor Company
12
Hi everyone,
I was recently asked by a journalist what I thought about the potential
slowdown in the Chinese and APA markets.
“Slowdown?” I asked. The industry’s seasonally adjusted average rate
(SAAR) may be lower in the first few months of 2011 than in 2010, but
China remains the biggest and fastest growing market in the world,
with 18 million vehicles sold in 2010.
04
08
The Chinese market has “slowed” to 10 per cent growth this year.
That’s 1.8 million vehicles. In manufacturing terms, that’s six new
plants and about 25,000 people. If you include suppliers in the
equation, with a 7:1 multiplier factor, we’re talking about 150,000 jobs.
Every market in the world wants the kind of slowdown that brings
150,000 additional jobs.
One of the most challenging and important parts of being an original
equipment manufacturer (OEM) is aligning capacity accurately with
demand, and having the ability to adjust capacity quickly based on
fluctuations in the market, or if we have a hot-selling product.
This is not only important for our assembly plants, but for our entire
supply chain as well.
In this edition of @Ford, there is a story about the growing
manufacturing footprint in APA. In order to bring 50 new vehicles and
powertrains to APA by 2015, the footprint of Ford and our suppliers
will continue to grow exponentially. As we grow, we have to do it
strategically and wisely, installing enough capacity to give us flexibility
to take advantage of opportunities, but not too much, which would be
a burden on the system.
Around 70 per cent of a vehicle is made by suppliers, so it is incredibly
important that our supply chain – from the bigger Tier 1 suppliers,
down to the smaller Tier 3 and 4 suppliers that support them – are in
line with our capacity, and, importantly, meet our cost, quality,
technology and delivery requirements.
That’s why we gathered the top 100 global suppliers in Dearborn
and gave them unprecedented access to the APA cycle plan and
our mid-term growth strategy. Many of the Tier 1 suppliers have
operations in APA, but not as many of their Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers
do. We need a much leaner, more cost-effective, higher-quality supply
chain that can help deliver the vehicles our customers want and value,
for the right price and with great technology.
07
03 Safety
Teams from India and China
win Ford President’s Health
and Safety Awards
04 Cover story
Building the Future of Ford
07 Global watch
12 One Ford
APA finds its singing voice
14 Lean training
FMCSA team leaders hone
their skills
15 Media training
How to make an engine roar
Dealers trained to be
Ford brand ambassadors
08 Figo birthday
16 News roundup
Figo’s Big Birthday Bash
10 Product
The Ranger unveiled to ASEAN
at the Bangkok Auto Show
A look at what’s happening
throughout APA
18 Ford faces
Talking to the trainers
As I’ve said, Ford has never attempted to grow as much as we are in
the next few years throughout APA. These are exciting times. It’s going
to be a challenging and fun ride and I’m glad we’re all in this together.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication.
@Ford March/April 2011
One Team · One Plan · One Goal ·
@Ford is published for the people of Asia Pacific and Africa, Ford Motor
Company, by Ford Communications – 20th Floor, Lake Rajada Office
Complex, 193/82-86 Ratchadapisek Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok, 10110,
Thailand. Director/Publisher: Whitney Foard Small; Managing Editor:
Mia Barrett; Editor: Gregor McClenaghan; Writers: PRISM Asia Pacific and
Africa Content Factory; Design: Content Factory, Europe.
A publication of Ford Communications Network. April 2011.
Please send questions and comments on this issue to apamedia@ford.com
safety
Safety First
in APA
Three safety-conscious teams from APA
have been honoured at Ford’s 2010
President’s Health and Safety Awards
Contractors can only operate cranes once they have passed an internal
Ford driving test, and are supervised by Ford staff at all times.
Below: Body shop employees take a safety pledge at the start of every shift.
The annual event recognises employees from around the
world who have shown exceptional dedication to the health
and safety ethos that Ford places at the heart of its
operations. Two groups from India and one from China were winners in
the Replication-Innovation category, which rewards teams
that have developed ways of improving their health and
safety operating systems and practices.
The Ford India body shop won a Global Replication
Innovation Award for its efforts to improve safety for the
hundreds of new employees who joined the company as it
prepared to build and launch the Figo.
“We went from having around 450 people to more than
1,150, and many of them had only just finished their technical
training and were new to the industry,” said Ramesh Ganesan, senior engineer at the body shop.
“We had some accidents – nothing serious, but if we did
not take action there might have eventually been an injury, so
we went back to look closely at the training people were
receiving to see where we could improve.”
The team developed training videos and other material,
including knowledge tests, to help new employees visualise
some of the dangers before they went on to the shop floor,
and made sure these were available in the local language,
Tamil. They paired trainees with experienced employees in a
‘buddy’ system, and gave each employee a personal ‘Green
Cross Card’ on which they update their safety performance
every day.
“A big part of the training was to get them to think of how
important it is to their families that they are safe at work – we
now have banners throughout the shop floor with slogans like
‘My Safety is for Me and My Family’, and we take a safety
pledge at the start of each shift. It was a cultural change for
all of us, and everyone has embraced it – we are very proud
and happy to receive the global award.”
Also in India, the Lifting and Rigging process won a Regio­
nal Replication Innovation Award for reducing hazards in the
plant connected to the use of cranes.
“We found that some safety procedures were not being
correctly followed by external contractors, so we introduced
a permit system and an internal Ford driving licence to ensure
that all crane drivers are properly trained; we also restricted
the use of this equipment after sunset and have Ford supervisors working with contractors to make sure they follow
procedure,” said safety engineer Bharath Kumar.
In China, a team from the Jiangling Motors Corporation
(JMC), a joint venture in Nanchang that assembles Transit
vehicles, also won a Regional Replication Innovation Award
for safety improvements to the repair and maintenance
process on a production line.
“We installed a camera inside the machine tool, so staff
can check the status of the machine and collect data without
having to turn the power off and go inside; this is safer and
improves efficiency,” said Li Jun, deputy head of JMC’s
security and technology department.
“We care a lot about the safety of our staff and are honoured to win the award.”
Ford Motor Company president and CEO Alan Mulally
congratulated the winners for helping to keep their colleagues
safe.
“Ensuring the health and safety of our employees is critical
as we continue working together to deliver our One Ford
plan; our entire team is so proud of these achievements,” he
said.
@Ford APA March/April 2011 3
cover story
Building
the Future
of Ford
Brand new plants are under construction at Rayong in Thailand
and Chongqing in China, while existing facilities in India, South
Africa and elsewhere in the region have been massively expanded
in recent years. With more projects in the pipeline, the APA
building boom shows no sign of slowing down.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
A new plant is an investment running to hundreds of millions of
dollars, and the choice of where to build it is a monumental
decision that will have consequences for decades to come. Steve
Day, the APA manufacturing director, has been involved in constructing some of the biggest auto plants in the region, and is one
of the people who help narrow down where to build – from which
part of the region, to which country, to which province or specific
site within that country.
“A lot depends on demand – we build where we sell, or where
we can benefit from countries being part of something like the
ASEAN Free Trade Area, or the free trade agreement between
South Africa and the European Union,” he said.
“We want to pick a market that has a good supply base, labour
force, construction environment and infrastructure – we look at the
factors that will help us deliver the best quality product at the best
cost in that region.”
He said the Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) plant currently
under construction in Rayong offered a good example of a site
that ticked all the boxes in terms of location.
4 @Ford APA March/April 2011
The future of Ford is being
built in Asia Pacific and Africa
(APA), one brick at a time.
Car sales in the region are
expected to keep growing
for years to come, and Ford
is rapidly expanding its APA
manufacturing operations
to keep up with demand
“Thailand’s a good hub, with good infrastructure, and we
already have the joint venture AAT plant there; it also has free
trade agreements with Australia and ASEAN, so it was an obvious
location for that plant,” he said.
“Once you’ve picked the country, you then have to go and find
the best deal for land; sites suitable for a plant this size are
actually few and far between, and you need somewhere with good
logistics infrastructure, where it’s easy to have raw material
coming in and finished goods going out, whether that’s to elsewhere in the country or for export abroad.”
Another factor that can help narrow down the choice of where
to site a new plant is whether national or local governments are
able to offer investment incentives. New manufacturing sites can
have an incredible economic impact on a region in terms of
investment and jobs, especially automotive assembly plants,
which bring other factories to feed the supply chain.
“It varies hugely from country to country as well as between
cities and states within a country – in Thailand, for example, there
are national-level incentives available to companies investing in
certain locations, but individual cities don’t really have the power
to offer unique incentives or compete against one another, and the
ability to negotiate special deals is limited,” said Gregory Daniels,
director, APA tax.
“At the other end of the spectrum is China, where many of the
previous national incentives aimed at attracting foreign investment
are being eliminated in a heavily debated attempt to level the
cover story
playing field between foreign and domestic
firms. However, local governments have
room to negotiate customised deals case by
case. India is just about in the middle –
there are some national policies but you can
also negotiate across the different cities and
states.”
The types of incentives available include
lump sum investment grants to help with
construction costs, preferential land policies
and locations, training grants, fixed term
“tax holidays”, and other financial incentives
tied to the level of government revenues
generated as a result of the investment.
“This latter form of incentive is growing in
popularity with governments because it’s
essentially revenue neutral on the margin
– they’re not just handing over a cheque
and hoping it creates jobs and revenue,”
he said.
“Typically the decision on where to build
is driven by the manufacturing footprint, but
investment incentives are clearly an important variable.”
SAFETY FIRST
Construction methods and skills might vary
from country to country, but adhering to
Ford’s strict safety standards is paramount
on every project.
“Local building codes and safety procedures do vary from place to place, but we
have a very strict safety culture that we
apply to all of our projects, wherever they
are,” said Trevor Negus, manufacturing
director for the Ford Thailand Manufacturing
project.
“The companies we have worked with on
construction projects are global and highly
professional businesses that understand the
importance of ensuring that they and their
sub-contractors are following Ford’s global
safety procedures. They know that our
expectation at Ford is not just to meet local
standards but also our own, global safety
standards, which often exceed what’s
required locally, and they know how to
achieve that with local contractors.”
@Ford APA March/April 2011 5
cover story
ENERGY EFFICIENCY BUILT IN
George Andraos is director of Ford
Land APA, the entity responsible
for providing real estate services
to Ford operations in the region.
He said that the new plant in
Thailand will be among the most
energy efficient auto factories in
the world.
“The FTM plant is designed to
make use of natural light, energy
efficient lights and lighting controls, and a solar array will partially power the offices. One of our key
global objectives is to develop an
energy efficiency system that we
can apply to everything we do. It
offers a win-win outcome – it’s the
right thing to do, the right thing
for the environment, and the company saves a lot of money over
the life cycle of the plant.”
He said innovations developed
in APA markets were setting the
standards for Ford’s energy
efficiency system world wide.
“India in particular has been very
proactive in this area, so this isn’t
just something being imposed
from the top – we are learning
from what different places have
tried and applying it elsewhere as
we move towards a truly global
organisation,” he said.
Trevor Negus, manufacturing
director for the FTM project,
said that many environmentally
friendly and energy efficient production line innovations, such as
Ford’s "Three-Wet High-Solids”
techno­logy for painting vehicles,
are also being built in to new
plants.
“There is less baking involved –
we don’t have to bake each coat
of paint before applying the next
one, so obviously that uses less
energy, and releases fewer compounds in to the atmosphere,
while the use of high solids means
there are fewer solvents in the
paint,” he said.
“Our consistent approach with all
of our new plant projects is to
implement all of our global best
practice processes and facilities
solutions. This will result in us
delivering increasingly environmentally friendly and energy
efficient plants.”
MODULAR DESIGN
A key requirement for a new plant is that it be able to easily switch to producing new
models as they are introduced during its lifespan.
“We construct the plant so it can produce any product in the stable – around 90 per
cent of the production process is essentially the same for any vehicle,” said Day.
“The goal is to have a generic bill of process that applies to any Ford plant anywhere
in the world, so it is easy to change production. The robots we install are generic – it’s
the software that is different from model X to model Y. It is like changing a drill bit – the
drill itself doesn’t change, just that one small part, and for us the bill of process is the
drill.”
Ford plants are designed to build two or more different models on the same production line but with changeover stations, allowing the plant to continue producing even
while introducing a new model.
“If you design the bill of process right, you can install whatever changes you need for
a new model offline and then integrate it without disrupting production,” said Day.
During construction and before a new plant comes online, many months are also
spent training the new workforce who will staff it.
“If you don’t have a well trained workforce, you won’t succeed no matter how good
the plant is,” said Day.
“The goal is to deliver a 100 per cent quality product to the customer, and for that to
happen, everything has to come together in the right place at the right time."
6 @Ford APA March/April 2011
global watch
EcoBoost
The Art
of Noise
“Our philosophy has
always been that the
car should sound refined
at low and medium loads
yet sporty and powerful
at high loads.”
Ford’s 1.6-litre EcoBoost
is one of the most
technologically advanced
engines in production,
combining high-pressure
direct injection, a low-inertia
turbo, and twin independent
variable cam timing
These three features give the EcoBoost the
power and torque of a much larger engine
without the size, weight and fuel economy penalties. There is, however, one slight downside to
this technology.
Turbocharging robs an engine of its natural
voice, especially higher up the rev range. Floor
the throttle in any turbocharged car and the
whoosh of the turbo will overpower the driverpleasing induction, or charge, note.
Ford’s engineers have overcome this aural
obstacle in the new Focus by adding a small but
hugely effective gadget called a sound symposer
to the 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine. The symposer
is a sound box that harvests good, engine-generated frequencies from the air intake system and
sends them straight into the passenger
compartment.
Ralf Heinrichs
Ford engineer Ralf Heinrichs explained: “All engines have their own sound character
and it is the exhaust and/or intake system which determines this character. Typically,
the exhaust system determines engine sound at low revs whereas higher up the rev
range the intake system gives the engine its unique voice.
“With turbocharged engines, the turbo is an integral part of the intake system and it
masks the sound of induction because the whoosh noise becomes dominant when the
turbo is spinning at speed.
“We needed to recapture or recreate that exciting induction noise, so what we’ve done
with our sound symposer is capture engine oscillations in the intake system downstream
from the turbo and then direct them straight into the cabin for a good sporty growl.”
The symposer has two chambers on the engine side and two on the outlet side,
separated by a moveable flap. Under hard acceleration, the vibrations generated in the
intake, or engine side, meet the pivoted flap, producing sound waves which are then
transferred to the outlet chambers. These are transmitted into the passenger compartment via a sound pipe which runs through the bulkhead and into the car’s cabin.
A big advantage with Ford’s sound symposer is that it doesn’t compromise refinement. In fact, engine noise is exceptionally quiet under most operating conditions.
Heinrichs and his team use hyper-sensitive audio equipment to ensure the sound
symposer works only when it should do and that the noises it delivers are rewarding
without being overpowering.
“Our philosophy has always been that the car should sound refined at low and
medium loads yet sporty and powerful at high loads,” he said.
“Engine noise should never become intrusive. Our sound symposer only contributes
at high load and even at motorway speeds the engine noise is never intrusive. You can
tune a sound symposer to produce all sorts of noises. How we tune ours is a very
closely guarded secret!”
This article originally appeared in the European edition of @Ford.
The sound symposer helps
give Ford's 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine
a sporty growl.
@Ford APA March/April 2011 7
Figo birthday
Ford senior managers join in the celebrations at Chennai.
Michael Boneham, left, and Nigel Wark, centre,
from Ford India cut the Figo Birthday cake with His
Excellency the Mexican Ambassador to India
Jaime Nualart, right.
Ford showrooms sported Birthday decorations.
Figo’s
Big Birthday Bash
The hottest compact car in India, Ford’s phenomenal Figo,
celebrated its first birthday on Wednesday, March 9. Excited
Ford India employees, customers, dealers and members of the
press took part in the colourful celebrations nationwide.
Like many proud parents on the subcontinent who hope their children gain
international experience, Ford India is
sending its over-achieving baby abroad now
that it has come of age. The phenomenal
Ford Figo will be exported to Mexico and
more than 50 other international markets
from the beginning of April.
In New Delhi, Ford India’s President and
Managing Director, Michael Boneham,
commemorated the occasion with his senior
managers and a special guest of honour,
Jaime Nualart, The Mexican Ambassador
to India.
The ambassador spoke about the great
relationship that exists between Mexico and
India and congratulated the Ford India team
on starting to export the Figo to his country.
In his speech to colleagues, guests and
over 60 reporters, Boneham praised the
teamwork and effort put in by Ford employees in India and around the world in developing the Figo.
He also paid tribute to everyone involved
in launching the car and making Figo the
success that it is today. It has won a host of
awards, including Indian Car of the Year
2011. “The Figo has shown that with great
power comes great responsibility. With its
success, Ford India is set to pursue an
aggressive growth strategy that will bring
many more new Ford vehicles to India in the
near future,” said Boneham.
He added, “We’re hopeful the Figo will
repeat its success in Mexico and other
export markets too.”
His joy was shared by Nigel Wark, Ford
India’s executive director of for marketing,
sales and service. “The Figo has indeed made us proud – it
feels so good to see it become the mostawarded and one of the highest selling cars
in India. In one year we have sold nearly
80,000 units and hope to pass the 100,000
milestone soon,” said Wark.
At the Figo’s birthplace, the Ford India
manufacturing facility in Maraimalai Nagar
near Chennai, employees enjoyed a lavish
gala lunch. The plant cafeteria was decked out
to resemble a royal Indian palace,
with bright decorations, posters and wall
coverings. Drummers and waiters clad in
royal costumes added to the excitement.
The high point of the celebrations was a
heartfelt video message from Ford Motor
Company CEO Alan Mulally.
YouTube: Ford Figo customer Deepti Bhatia shared her views and experiences on the car: http://youtu.be/RzlFPWnE6Lo
8 @Ford APA March/April 2011
Figo birthday
That’s what
friends said:
Happy Birthday! Its a great experience and pleasure
driving the Ford Figo.
Thank you Ford.
Bidyut Bhose
The finest car to drive and play around with; power
packed, with good mileage and very spacious.
Happy Birthday to you, my Figo
Rakanth Karunakaran
I am so fond of you Figo, loved you every moment
since I bought you last year, You have struck the
emotional chord so right, all over India you are
now in limelight....:)
...Happy Birthday!! Figo the Real Rock Star
Ayush Awasthi
happy birthday ford figooo!! :)
u Rock the WhoLe WorLd........... U r JsT AwsuM In Ur
owN Way!! :)
Aushi Bhatia
Many happy returns of the day to you from Nepal.
Budhi Karki
Live performances and gala decorations
at the cafeteria.
“I hope you know that I recognise your
spirit and your passion and that I am
definitely there with you, in spirit!” he said.
At noon, the party really came to life
when the plant’s senior managers, led
by Sandip Sanyal, executive director of
operations, arrived to cut a birthday cake,
“When we launched this special small
car, there was a lot of anxiety, but we
all gave it our best. Today, we are overwhelmingly surprised at its success and
popularity,” said Sanyal.
Employees at the plant said they were
pleased to have been part of such a
successful project.
“We feel proud to have built such a
world-class car! We’re happy about the
recognition the Figo has received from customers and hope that it enjoys many
more milestones ahead,” said Sivakumar,
a body shop engineer.
Paint shop employees, R Anitha and
K Anitha added, “We will remember the special lunch and amazing celebrations for a long time.”
Ford India presented a small gift to each
of its workers as a token of appreciation of
their hard work – a jacket emblazoned with
the Figo celebratory message “India’s Most
Awarded Car Ever” .
Letter from a happ
y
Figo customer:
Hi,
After taking a millio
n years to decide wh
ich car to buy, then
the intended driver
backing out as
fell ill, things took tim
e, but Metro Ford in
ed patiently.
Bangalore waitWe tried pretty mu
ch every small car on
market, but kept com
Figo. The competito
ing back to the
rs fell short of the con
venience of the Ford,
tooth®, electrical ou
with its Bluetside rearview mirro
r
an
d remote boot lid am
things.
ong other
Sometime in mid Jan
uary we called Metro
Ford and said go ah
had eventually settle
ead. Once we
d on a colour (black),
and once all the pa
ities were done wit
yment formalh and a loan settle
d with the bank, the
days to arrive.
car took exactly 10
My first 20 km drive
told me why Ford’s
new baby is such a
lessly simple to drive
success. It’s brainand get used to, an
d there is no shorta
radio is good for the
ge of power. The
price bracket, very go
od if compared to riv
and the AC rocks as
al car makers,
well. It feels as tho
ugh spirited driving
that will have to wa
is possible, but
it for some time till
it crosses 1000 kms.
You have one more
happy customer.
Das
(Shubhodeep Das)
@Ford APA March/April 2011 9
Ranger
ASEAN Meets
The Ranger
The 32nd
Bangkok International
Motor Show saw hundreds
of thousands of people stop by
the Ford stand for the first glimpse
of the all-new Ranger in ASEAN
The truck, which will be manufactured in
Thailand, South Africa and Argentina and
go on sale later this year, was unveiled on
the show’s media day by Joe Hinrichs,
president of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa,
who said it was “a great One Ford story”
that showed the advantages of working as
a global company.
“Truck customers, from here in Thailand
to Argentina, have very similar requirements
from a compact truck – they are remarkably
consistent, despite their geographic diversity.
“What are those needs? Exceptional
capabilities and versatility, durability, fuel
efficiency, comfort and advanced
technologies.”
He said that with a customer segment
so unified around the world, the possibilities
to create a global product were endless.
“With the One Ford business model, we
have laid the foundation for creating one,
world-class global platform that takes
full advantage of global powertrains and
technologies to transform the compact
pickup driving experience.”
10 @Ford APA March/April 2011
INNOVATIVE DESIGN
TO SUIT ANY NEED
This was only the second time that the new
Ranger has been seen in public since its
grand unveiling in Sydney in October; before
Bangkok it was shown to European truck
fans at the Geneva Auto Show at the start of
March. With each public appearance, more
details of the truck have been revealed. In
Geneva, the Wildtrak version, featuring
sporty and aggressive colours and graphics,
unique interior trim and other accessories,
demonstrated that the Ranger is about style
as well as utility; in Bangkok, visitors to the
stand were able to see why the Ranger is the
perfect vehicle for off road adventure.
Driveline components like the oil pan are
mounted above the frame rail where they
are protected by strong cross-members
when the truck is performing in rough
terrain. To improve its water-wading capability, key electrical components and air
inlets are strategically placed high in the
engine compartment, allowing it to go
deeper than other trucks; the 4x4 and 4x2
Hi-Rider models can wade through 800 mm
of water, a class-leading feature that will be
welcomed by customers who need to ford
rivers or floods.
Customers will be able to choose from a
range of cab styles and engines to suit their
individual needs. As well as the double body
style on show in Bangkok, the Ranger will
also be available with a regular cab, or with
a Rear Access Panels (RAP) cab, an innovative design from the last Ranger which has
a unique four-door system allowing unobstructed access to the cabin through two
forward-hinged doors and two rear-hinged
access panels.
More details of the three engines that
Ranger customers will be able to choose
from were also unveiled in Bangkok; a
2.2-litre diesel, a 3.2-litre diesel, and a
2.5-litre petrol engine that will deliver the
best fuel economy in its class1.
Visitors to the Ford stand were able to
learn more about the Ranger’s features
through interactive displays and activities,
including a demonstration of the Bluetooth®
Ranger
The Ranger will be available with a double
cabin (blue) and Rear Access Panels
(silver), as well as a regular cab.
The Ranger can handle the toughest terrain.
was also a slot-car challenge, which pitted
members of the public against each other
as they raced miniature versions of their
favourite Ford cars.
Ford executives introduced the Ranger
to ASEAN during the 32nd Bangkok
International Motor Show.
Voice Control system, and a simulator that
allowed them to experience the 4x4 traction
control, trailer sway control and off-road
capabilities. A Robot Theatre taught visitors
about Ford’s new range of powerful and fuel
efficient engines, while a Driving Skills For
Life simulator gave them the chance to
improve their safe driving skills during a
timed drive through a virtual town. There
TRAINING THE TRAINERS
Preparations are underway throughout APA
in advance of the Ranger’s highly anticipated launch. At the end of February, training
managers from across the region gathered
in Bangkok to discuss the needs and
requirements of the training programmes
that will educate Ford sales people about
the new truck.
“It was about listening to what the people
responsible for training need. Each market
has different challenges and requirements
and we wanted to take that in to account
very early on so we can tailor the training
programmes and materials to meet those
needs,” said Belinda Holland, from the Ford
Academy, who was one of those leading the
session.
“The all-new Ranger is our first global
launch, and is such an important product in
the region that we wanted the dealer
network to be adequately prepared. We are
focused on a holistic strategy across the life
cycle of the Ranger, and the workshop was
a great opportunity to sit with training
managers and satisfy the needs of the
various markets.”
Peter Fleet, president of Ford ASEAN,
said the new Ranger was generating a huge
amount of interest, and that visitors to the
Bangkok show were especially excited
about the truck’s local pedigree.
“This terrific new vehicle is the latest
proof of how our One Ford strategy works,
as it leveraged the full design and development resources within APA to create a
world-class vehicle for our global operations,” he said.
“Thailand already serves as a global
manufacturing and exporting hub for Ford
Motor Company, and the decision to
continue building our presence here highlights our continued confidence in the
further development of Thailand’s already
world-class automotive industry.”
1 Officially approved tests in accordance with
EC Directive 93/116/EC estimate the Ranger
achieves 9.8 litres per 100 km in a combined
drive cycle.
@Ford APA March/April 2011 11
One Ford
One Ford,
One Voice
The sweet sound
of success has
been echoing
around APA as
Ford’s musical stars find
a new way to work in harmony
All over the region, talented employees have been singing from
the same song sheet in mass musical meetings that have helped
them connect with colleagues and feel good about working for Ford.
The trend started in South Africa, where the employee reveal of the
all-new Ranger last year brought workers together from sites thousands of kilometers apart.
“We wanted to do something special that could make employees
at both the Silverton plant in Pretoria and the Struandale plant in Port
Elizabeth feel part of the same team and get them excited about the
launch,” said Lloyd Marlowe, corporate communications manager for
Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA).
“We brought in a company called Fat Groove – they are a band
from Pretoria, but they also do team building sessions for companies. They were excited by the challenge; the biggest group they had
done before was about 50 or 60 people, but we wanted to get all
2,600 employees at both our sites involved.”
Different departments were asked to each submit a verse for the
’One Ford’ song, with the best chosen by the musicians, who then
composed an original tune.
On the day of the reveal, a video link was set up between the two
sites, with the Silverton plant singing the chorus and the Struandale
plant providing the rhythm section by clapping and stamping their
feet; each was recorded separately, but mixed together in just a few
minutes so the entire song could be played back straight away. A CD
12 @Ford APA March/April 2011
was later distributed to all the employees as a Christmas present
when they came back to work after the holidays.
“It was out of this world – we had never experienced something
like this in the history of FMCSA and it has lasted in the minds of our
people,” said Sikhali Mathenjwa, mechanical supervisor at the
Silverton plant.
“The song is unique, with a little bit of pop and an R&B rhythm that
makes you sing along every time it is played. It created a long lasting
impression and gave confidence to all our team members to take this
company forward.”
“The day was good and gave us morale,” said Setumile Molaoa,
team leader in the system two market area at Silverton.
“The way they combined the song was amazing and the dancing
and singing by the Ford choir was nice.”
TAKING UP THE TUNE
The song was so successful that it was used to introduce Alan
Mulally, President and CEO of Ford Motor Company, when he drove
a Ford Focus on to the stage at this year’s North American International Auto Show.
As news of the event spread, Ford employees in Taiwan and then
Shanghai recorded their own company songs, each with the theme
of ‘One Team, One Plan, One Goal, One Ford.’
One Ford
Ford APA President
Joe Hinrichs was in fine
voice during Chinese
New Year celebrations
in Shanghai.
“In college I was a member of a Buddhist religious group and
had experience organising singing events with big groups of
people, so I was happy to be asked to get involved,” said John
Tai, production superintendant at the body plant in Taiwan, who
wrote the ‘Ford Heroes’ lyrics to the tune of one of his favourite
pop songs from the early 1990s.
“I was thinking about the theme of ‘One Ford’, and woke up
with this song in my head; once I knew I wanted to use that tune,
the lyrics came very quickly,” he said.
“My version of the song is about having a dream in our hearts to
improve Ford sales in Taiwan; competition is very tough and we
need heroes from all over APA to help the company get better and
better.”
After working with colleagues to come up with a dance to
accompany the song, John was one of around 260 employees
drawn from all the divisions at Ford Lio Ho who practiced and then
performed the song one night after the assembly line had shut
down.
“We were united together and danced together – everyone was
very happy and felt good afterwards, with a lot of energy to reach
our goals.”
In Shanghai, a dozen senior managers including Ford APA
President Joe Hinrichs were joined on stage by some of 2010’s
graduate trainees, at a party held just before the Chinese New
Year. With a live band providing the music and around 420 employees from both the Ford China Operations and the regional
APA offices joining in with the singing, the event was a harmonious way to see out the old year and welcome the new.
“We had heard the songs from South Africa and Taiwan and
thought they were amazing, and we wanted to continue the
performance and sing the ‘One Ford’ idea to our team,” said
human resources training specialist Tracy Huang, who wrote the
lyrics for the Shanghai performance.
“I think it was a great success; lots of people were involved in
the performance, not just those who were on stage. It was a lot of
fun and we are definitely thinking about doing it again.”
Employees in the Silverton and Struandale plants in South Africa were
united in song over thousands of kilometers.
Ford Lio Ho workers showed they were Ford Heroes
with a co-ordinated song and dance.
“One Team, One Plan, One Goal, One Ford.”
@Ford APA March/April 2011 13
lean training
Left: Ockert Berry, plant manager (second from right), Silverton FMCSA,
presents a memento from the SA management team to the Ford India team
(from left: Tom Chackalackal, Radhakrishnan Balasundaram,
K. Shanmugasundaram, Sandip Sanyal and B. Satyanarayana, last right).
Bellow: Ockert Berry (second right in top row) and Sandip Sanyal, executive
director, Operations, Ford India (centre) pose with the last batch of FMCSA
Team Leaders training in February 2011.
FMCSA
team leaders hone
their skills
As many as 194 team leaders and
supervisors from Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa(FMCSA), Silverton, recently completed a training
course on lean manufacturing practices
at Ford India’s Chennai plant.
This was the first time that the two
markets had co-operated in this way,
and forms part of the preparation for
South Africa to start producing the
Ranger later this year.
Lean manufacturing treats any
process that does not add value for the
end customer as wasteful, and aims to
streamline the manufacturing process
by focusing on production efficiency
and cost reduction.
“The programme is just one of the
steps being taken to prepare the South
African team leaders for mass production of the new global Ranger pickup”
said Peter Lawson, vice president of
Operations for FMCSA.
“The goal behind the training was to
create a Work Group driven business in
the Silverton Assembly Plant. As such,
Ford of India was the logical choice
for us, as the team there has an outstanding work group process and
engagement.”
The Ford India manufacturing team
offered a series of training sessions that
included modules on building a culture
of excellence, Kaizen (a Japanese word
meaning “continuous improvement”),
simulations and training through the
Lean Learning Academy (LLA). There
14 @Ford APA March/April 2011
were lessons on work group practices
followed in India, and hands-on experience of lean manufacturing practices
on the shop floor. The FMCSA team
leaders experienced first-hand how
things are done at Ford India by working
the production line with Ford India
buddy teams.
The buddy team leaders from Ford
India had previously been given an
introduction to South African cultures
and customs so they would be able to
communicate better with their guests
when they arrived.
“It was a great opportunity to work
with the highly experienced South Africa
team leaders. This programme served
as a platform to exchange knowledge
and skills,” said Balakumar, one of the
Ford India buddy team leaders.
’Collaboration is key’
The LLA training, which had been
specially designed for the FMCSA team,
involved creative simulations which the
trainees took to enthusiastically, while
discussions on Work Group processes
and practices at the end of every
Kaizen and work group training session
allowed participants to compare practices at FMCSA and Ford India.
“What we are trying to do is to
transfer our knowledge, and ensure our
team leaders get the opportunity to
share their knowledge, so that we as
One Ford grow and become the best
Participants fro
m FMCSA take
pa
in Culture of Ex
cellence training rt
.
automotive manufacturer in the region,”
said Tom Chackalackal, vice president
for manufacturing at Ford India.
“I am sure the energy and passion
showed by FMCSA team will result in a
great success for the Ranger.”
Ockert Berry, FMCSA plant manager,
said his team had benefited enormously
from the training.
“The work groups are now running
their piece of the business, and this is
exactly what we wanted the training to
deliver,” he said.
As well as certificates, the trainees
were given photograph albums as
mementoes at the end of the course.
Michael Boneham, president and
managing director of Ford India, said it
was a tremendous honour and pleasure
to meet FMCSA team leaders and
supervisors in the middle of the most
aggressive period of growth that Ford
India has seen.
Dealers trained to be
Ford brand ambassadors
media training
As ambassadors for the Ford brand who
have the most contact with our customers, Ford dealers are some of the most
important people in our company. They
don’t just sell cars; they are also well
respected members of their local communities who help us tell the bigger Ford story.
In order to help them be more effective
at working with the media, Ford India
recently held a dealer media training session
in New Delhi.
Experts shared their experiences with the
audience and discussed ways of working
with the media. The sessions were led by
Stevan Soper, a trainer from Dearborn who
has trained Ford dealers in working with the
media in countries like Vietnam and South
Africa.
The training was attended by over
20 dealers from across the country, expert
trainers and key Ford personnel. Spread
over two days, it included Ford Dealer
Council members as well as dealers representing a wide geographical spread.
The workshop highlighted the importance
of understanding messages and techniques
for handling interviews, and dealt with how
WPP trainer Stevan Soper from United
States speaks to the delegates.
dealers could handle local and global issues
that might arise.
Nigel Wark, Ford India’s executive
director for marketing, sales and service,
opened the workshop by thanking the
Dealer Council, and urged the dealers
to bring up issues and concerns that they
had about communicating with the media
and customers.
Deeptie Sethi, head of communications
for Ford India, welcomed the training
programme for the dealers.
“It’s great to have people work with these
partners to send out a consistent message
and to enable them to tell a stronger Ford
story,” she said.
At the end of each session, some of the
participants were given the opportunity to
experience scenarios and get feedback
through role plays, where dealers were put
in the hot seat and had to field questions
from the media. The role play session
turned out to be a big hit amongst dealers,
who found it useful in honing their communication messages in a way consistent with
the company spokespeople.
Encouraging feedback
The dealers said they were extremely
happy with the programme, which was the
first of its kind to have been organised by
Ford India. They gave feedback to the
trainers, including the need to highlight
global Ford messages such as fuel efficiency, technology, and messages specific to
Ford India.
“It was excellent to learn about the twin
challenges of fielding tricky questions from
the press and being effective brand ambassadors for Ford, and it was done in a very
refreshing, interactive manner,” said Thomas
Cherukara, CEO of Kairali Ford, a chain of
Ford dealerships operating in South Kerala.
“We look forward to many such workshops from Ford in future.”
Senior executives from Ford India’s sales,
marketing and service divisions sat in to
observe the and participated in the learning.
“It’s great to have
people work with
these partners to
send out a consistent
message and to
enable them to tell a
stronger Ford story”
Deeptie Sethi, head of corporate
communications for Ford India
Ford dealers in India attend the two-day media training at New Delhi.
@Ford APA March/April 2011 15
news roundup
2
1
4
3
1 Uncovering the new
Territory After months of anticipation,
Ford Australia President and CEO Robert
Graziano tore the covers off the new
Territory at an invitation-only press event in
Sydney. As Australia’s first locally
designed and built SUV, the Territory has a
huge local following. The Ford design team
has completely revamped the interior of the
latest version, refining the vehicle’s
ergonomics and including high-tech
features like a USB jack for customers to
connect their mobile phones or MP3
players. The exterior has also been
redesigned, with smoother, sleeker lines
giving it a more aerodynamic look. The
makeover has gone down well with the
press, with the Herald Sun newspaper
writing that it gave the Territory “a decidedly
more premium feel”. 2 Ford Edge
wins Chinese media awards Just a
few months after its introduction to the
market, the Edge has won awards from
seven leading Chinese auto and lifestyle
16 @Ford APA March/April 2011
media outlets, including Car magazine,
Esquire magazine and the China Travel
Channel. “Being honoured with so many
awards so shortly after the launch is a great
achievement,” said J.D. Tang, Ford China’s
director of marketing, sales and service.
“The Ford Edge is a truly fantastic vehicle
and we are confident it will be very
competitive in its segment.” 3 Ford Vietnam Reaching for
the Stars Ford Vietnam boldly went
where no auto company has gone before
with a space-aged theme to the National
Dealer’s Meeting Gala Dinner. Using the
slogan “New Era, New Frontiers to
Conquer”, representatives from most Ford
Vietnam Ltd (FVL) departments and
dealerships across the country were asked
to imagine they were on board “Spaceship
FVL”. In order to conquer a new era, the
“crew” were told they needed teamwork,
confidence, persistence, and to be decisive,
overcome difficulties and take risks. The
evening also featured an awards
presentation for dealers; Saigon Ford did
especially well, winning the Grand Achiever,
Best Sales by Volume, Best Sales
Performance and Grand Achiever awards. 4 Lifestyle Media enjoy Fun
Fiesta Getaway Ford Motor Indonesia
recently took 19 female reporters from
lifestyle media including the magazines
Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Her World, Cleo
and Elle on an action-packed getaway
across Bali, to spread the message that the
Fiesta’s stylish design, nimble handling and
fuel efficiency are perfect for the modern
woman on the go. The three-day trip
included a tour of a pearl farm, a yoga
session, a visit to a fortune teller, wine
tasting, and, of course, a shopping trip.
“This event was so exciting,” said Mindy
Zein, from Elle magazine. “I love the Ford
Fiesta, it’s so smart and fabulous!” 5 Ford Philippines rings the
register with Fiesta fleet
sale On February 21, Ford Group
Philippines (FGP) registered its biggest
news roundup
6
5
7
8
fleet sale this year with the delivery of 22
Fiestas to Air21, a logistics firm that
specialises in freight and cargo forwarding
services under the Lina Group of
Companies. “This marks the beginning of a
new and successful partnership,” said FGP
President Randy Krieger. “As a delivery and
logistics provider, Air21 requires reliable
transportation to meet their growing
customer demands. Ford can meet these
demands with our wide range of products
that are class leaders in quality, fuel
efficiency, safety, smart design and value.”
In December 2010, the Ford Fiesta was the
best-selling hatchback in the Philippines. 6 Students See Career
Opportunities with Ford Ford
Motor Company of Southern Africa
(FMCSA) opened its doors to prospective
future employees for its annual career day
in February. Ford invited 90 high school
students to spend a day at the Silverton
Assembly Plant in Pretoria and another 35
to visit the Ford Engine Plant in Struandale,
Port Elizabeth. “The Careers Day programme
is evidence of FMCSA’s aim to invest in the
future of young people in South Africa,” said
FMCSA President and CEO Jeff Nemeth.
“Education forms a significant part of our
commitment to corporate social
responsibility.” 7 Third Year of Driving Skills
for Life in Taiwan Ford Lio Ho (FLH)
has kicked off its Driving Skills for Life
programme for the third year running in
Taiwan. “Transportation safety and
environmental protection are two major
priorities for Ford Lio Ho,” said FLH
President Albert Li. “As one of the leading
automotive brands in Taiwan, Ford Lio Ho is
committed to help improve the driving
environment. We will continue to bring this
training course to more drivers in Taiwan,
through off-line training sessions and
internet channels to share DSFL skills with
more people and help make the roads in
Taiwan both safer and greener.” 8 Tough Truck Fun at Ranger
Gymkhanas Ford Thailand organised a
series of Ranger Gymkhanas in three
provinces that showed the truck is both
built tough and fun to drive. The competition
was open to existing customers, who had to
navigate the Rangers through a series of
testing time trials. Hundreds of people
turned up to watch each event, which
featured plenty of food, drink and
entertainment. The winners of the three
gymkhanas were later invited to Bangkok as
Ford’s VIP guests for the unveiling of the
new Ranger at the 32nd Bangkok
International Auto Show.
@Ford APA March/April 2011 17
Ford faces
Talking to the trainers
At some point everyone needs to be taught how to do their job, and to progress in a career it is often
necessary to learn new skills. We talk to the trainers about what it takes to teach.
Xiaohui Fan, engine inspection super­
visor, Changan Ford Mazda Engine
Raadha Madhavan, deputy manager
of human resources, Ford India
Wirontono Jusuf, training manager,
Ford Motor Indonesia
Leadership and soft skills programmes, including communication and presentation skills, leadership training,
and new employee orientation.
All types of non-technical training for sales and service
teams.
What type of training do you carry out?
I teach basic engine knowledge, engine construction
and engine maintenance, both in the classroom and on
the production line.
What is the most important lesson you want your students to take away from a training session?
All lessons are equally important, but if I had to choose,
I would like them to leave my lessons passionate about
their careers, as well as full of auto knowledge.
I want them to pick up at least one thing from every
training session and implement it in their work and life.
If the training is about a product I want them to really
understand what they are going to sell and how it compares to competitors. If I am teaching a skill, like sales, I
hope they have confidence to practice what they have
been taught.
What traits are important to train someone successfully?
To be able to build trust with trainees. If they trust me,
they will also trust that my training course will be of
benefit.
Passion, enthusiasm, willingness to share your knowledge and most importantly willingness to learn from
participants.
You need to know your target audience and how best to
talk to them, so you have to understand different ways
and methods to deliver the training.
How do you make sure that your audience understands what you are teaching?
I observe their faces and check they answer my questions correctly.
By asking them questions, and making my sessions
highly interactive, lively and informal.
You need to have a connection to the audience, and be
sensitive to the situation in the classroom – if I think
people are starting to lose focus I’ll pause for a refreshment break so they feel sharp again.
What is the most rewarding or interesting part of your job and why?
I love engines, so the job is very interesting to me, and it
is very rewarding to help trainees begin their careers as
auto professionals.
Every time I get to meet different types of people; I can
build great relationships with participants during training sessions that continue afterwards.
I’m sharing knowledge, and I’m also learning from the
participants in the class. I like being able to better myself
and contribute to other peoples’ careers.
How do you get trainees to pay attention and realise the training is valuable?
Sometimes just learning facts can be boring, so I associate the knowledge with practical skills; for example, I’ll
give tips on driving and engine maintenance based on
the engine theory I am talking about.
I reinforce the key message that any training session
can make an impact on our lives, depending on how we
transfer the learning.
By making sure I communicate effectively right from the
start and make it clear how the programme can help.
Has anything embarrassing ever happened during a session? What was it, and how did you handle it?
Curious trainees might ask a question that the trainer
does not know the answer to, but that is not something
to be embarrassed about; if this happens I ask for their
contact details and will get back to them after consulting other professionals.
While conducting One Ford behaviour training, there
was an employee who said: “this will not work, it is not
practical” and shared a true incident where it didn’t
work. I had to tell him that one has to patiently practice
in what one believes is right; emotional resilience is the
key to success.
It can’t always be 100 per cent perfect, but the important thing when something goes wrong is to stay calm,
and explain to the participants what has gone wrong –
you have to be honest with them.
What is the most interesting question you have been asked by a student?
A student once asked what to do with their left foot
when driving an automatic transmission car.
I suggested they beat time to their music.
18 @Ford APA March/April 2011
All of their questions are interesting as it shows
they are learning.
I’ve been asked if I have ever tried out the theories
I teach. When you’re teaching, it’s always good to
have practical experience!
Taiwan
Indonesia
Enjoying the special meal served
by Taiwan Operating Committee
members before Lunar New Year.
holic
r and Shopa
The Dinne
p.
ho
ks
Wor
Taiwan
Australia
FLH Presiden
t Albert Li dr
essed
as a "Fortune
God" for the
of the Year of
start
the Rabbit.
stralia IT team er
The Ford Au
aft
at Charlton
volunteering
ods.
the recent flo
South Africa
Sales and m
arketing staff
show
support for
the FMSCA
‘Think
Safety’ cam
paign.
service
sales and
.
Marketing,
Tribe Ranch
ild
W
e
th
staff at
New Zealand
China
raised over
‘Casual dress Friday’
n affected by
NZD 200 for childre
thquake.
the Christchurch ear
South Africa
Philippines
India
e end of year
Dancing at th
party.
Australia
India
Employees at the unveiling of
Silverton’s new body shop.
Jumping for joy at the Ford Club
Philippines’ ninth anniversary.
Indonesia
India
Enjoying the magic of chocolate
at the Fiesta Fearless Getaway in
Bali.
ic
ub held a Picn fety.
The Rotary Cl
e road sa
ot
om
pr
to
Car Rally
Celebrating a paintball victory.
Thailand
Proud winners of the annual
5S competition.
Indonesia
Sui Ly Kang presented with
flowers to acknowledge her 12
months on the United Way Board
Vietnam
Fun and games on sta
ge.
South Africa
China
Ready to take off and present
awards at the Annual Dealership
Conference.
Taiwan
Welcoming in the Year of the
Rabb
it.
Taiwan Ope
rating Comm
ittee
members se
rvin
employees fo g food to thank
r their work
in 2010.
n to open the
Cutting the ribbo
Silverton.
in
op
sh
new body
Vietnam
Life’s a beach for Ford Vietnam
staff.