Генри Форд

Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 - April 7, 1947) - American engineer, industrialist, inventor. One of the founders of the U.S. automobile industry, the founder of "Ford Motor Company" (Ford Motor Company), organizer of the flow-line production.

Henry Ford was born July 30, 1863 in a family of Michigan farmer, an emigrant from Ireland. His father was not happy with it, considering lazy and sissy - son behaved like a prince, accidentally found himself on the farm. All he was told, Henry did not like to. He hated the chickens and cows, hated milk. "Already in early youth, I think a lot can be done differently - in some other way." For example, he, Henry, every morning, must climb the steep stairs, carrying buckets of water. Why do it every day, if you can only lay two meters underground water pipes?

When her son was twelve, his father gave him a pocket watch. He could not resist - teased the cover with a screwdriver, and his eyes opened up something wonderful. Part of the mechanism to interact with each other, one wheel moved more, every screw here was important. Disassemble and reassemble the clock, the boy thought for a long time. What is the world is not one big piece of machinery? One motion is generated by the other, all have their arms. To succeed, you just have to know which levers to push. Henry quickly learned how to repair watches and some time even worked, going around the surrounding farms and taking in repairs who got chronometers. The second shock was the meeting with steam engines. Henry with his father back in the cart out of the city, when they met a huge, wrapped steam propelled machine. Ahead of the cart and a frightened horse, steaming and hissing monster raced by. At this point, I would give half my life, Henry, to be there in the booth driver.

At 15 G.Ford left school at night and on foot, without telling anyone, went to Detroit, he would not be a farmer, as his father wanted.

At the factory, where he got a job, made for cars competing. Here he did not last long. Ford had only to touch the broken mechanism to understand the problem. Gifted newcomer envied by other workers. They did their best to survive the upstart from the factory, and succeeded in doing so - Ford was fired. Later, Henry got a shipyard Flower brothers. At night, he worked part time repairing the clock to have something to pay for the room.

And in the meantime, William Ford decided to make a last attempt to bring his son back to the farm business: offered 40 acres of land with the condition that he never in his life did not utter the word "car." Suddenly Henry said yes. The father was pleased, too, son. Gullible William had no idea that his son was just kidding him. For Henry this case be a lesson: if you want to be king - be ready to lie.

Soon, Henry Ford decided to marry. Clara Bryant was his junior by three years. They met at a village dance. Ford was a brilliant dancer and hit a girl by showing her his pocket watch and said he had done it himself. They are connected by a lot - as well as Henry, Clara was born in a farmer's family, did not shun any work. The girl's parents - devout men and strong, of course, would not have given her a young man without a penny to his name, no land and homes. By building on the site quickly cozy cottage, Henry settled there with his young wife. Many years later, the car king will say, "My wife believed in my success even stronger than I am. Such it has always been. " Clara could spend hours listening to her husband's argument about the idea of ​​creating self-propelled carriage. Throughout a long family life she has always known how to maintain an elegant balance - interest in the affairs of man, but never interfered with them.

Time went by. And once Ford Sr. found a cozy honeymoon cottage deserted - Henry and Clara suddenly moved to Detroit, where Ford went to work in the Detroit power company engineer.

In November 1893 Clara gave Ford a son. The boy was named Edsel.

In the same year in a brick shed behind a semi-detached house, where he lived with his wife Clara Ford finished construction of its first experimental car. The inventor spent two days without sleep or rest, and two in the morning on June 4 came to inform his wife that the car is ready and he's going to try it. Named "quadricycle" and weighing only five hundred pounds, the car moves on four bicycle tires.

And in the same 1893 Ford became chief engineer of the Edison company, specializing in the coverage of Detroit, and then - in 1899 - the chief engineer of the Detroit automobile company. But after a while it began to notice that Ford all their mental and physical strength of spending on gasoline truck, and not to work in the office. Henry offered to take a senior position with the condition that he would give up his invention. Ford hesitated. Were that family should contain no savings - all it took to build the truck. Clara saw his hesitation, said, as if Henry did not, she would approve of his decision. Resigned, Ford began to "sell themselves." He was looking for wealthy companions, after all of the money, Henry, as such, were not available, and in his new venture, he assigned himself the role of a supplier of ideas. But these ideas no one wanted to buy. In the end, after Henry drove a businessman detroyttsa on his cart at a breakneck speed, he has agreed to work with the inventor. "Detroit Avtomobayl Company" did not last long. "The car was not in demand, as it does not happen to any new product. I left office, deciding never to occupy subordinate position "- recalled Ford. And again started "trading ideas", research. Failures fell on him in abundance, from one office, he was nearly taken out by force. Finally, in 1903, it was registered "Ford Motor Company." Henry became general manager. Being himself a self-taught mechanic, Ford is willing to employ such nuggets as the plant: "Specialists are so intelligent and experienced, who is exactly know why they can not do so and so, they always see the limits and obstacles. If I wanted to destroy the competition, then gave them to the hordes of specialists. "

In 1905, Ford's financial partners did not agree with his intent to produce cheap cars, since Demand was more expensive models, the main stake holder Alexander Malcolmson sold its stake to Ford, and then Henry Ford became the majority owner and president of the company (he was president in 1905 - 1919 and 1943 - 1945).

Real triumph was the introduction of the Ford Model "T" means the replacement of all the landmarks in the concept car. He created it as a sculptor, cutting off all unnecessary, created not a luxury toy for the elite, and affordable product for thousands and thousands of "average Americans." Succeeded beyond all expectations. Over the years, the production model "T" has sold over 15 million cars, easily won the consumer market.

Mass production necessitated the standardization and unification of all processes. "Terror Machine" - that Ford described them embedded control system. A clear system of monitoring and planning, assembly line, continuous process chains - all contributed to the fact that the Ford empire functioning as a machine.

Ford first established in their companies the minimum wage and an 8-hour day. However, going to improve the social situation of workers, Ford chose to do it entirely on his own initiative. Therefore, in the future he steadfastly ignored the pressure of trade unions, which in the end led to a prolonged conflict with them in 1937-1941. At his factory was established sociological service with a staff of 60 people, which at that time was a major innovation.

Ford was addicted to diet and healthy lifestyle, fond of history of American culture, not a stranger to philanthropy. However, his public activity - active anti-Jewish entry, cruise the world during World War I, an attempt to become a senator - had mainly scandalous.

Believing in his own genius, Ford began to lose flexibility and innovative flair. In 30 years there have been major changes in consumer demand, and Ford, devoted to his previous concept, they are not taken into account. As a result, a leader in the automotive industry had to give other large companies - "General Motors."

In September 1945, Ford over the company (before formally owned by his only son, Edsel) to his grandson and namesake, Henry Ford, and two retired. 2 years later - April 7, 1947 - at the age of 83 years Ford has died.