Ford maintains it will look to its suppliers to differentiate products as the automaker starts what it says its most aggressive product launch year to date, with 23 launches globally, 16 of which are in North America alone.
“As part of our One Ford plan, our suppliers are critical to creating profitable growth for all,” said group vice president, Ford Global Purchasing, Hau Thai-Tang.
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Ford has relationships with more than 1,100 production suppliers operating at more than 4,600 manufacturing sites, which manufacture 130,000 vehicle parts. .
A core component of Ford’s strong supplier relationship is its Matched Pairs system, an internal alignment initiative between its product development and purchasing departments.
Through the system, not only are the technical and commercial strategies aligned, but members from each department are paired so decisions are made in tandem from the beginning.
“Considering the impact suppliers have on our business, with 70% of the value of the vehicle being purchased from our supplier partners, our suppliers are critical to our ability to offer attractive solutions to our customers,” said Thai-Tang.
“Ford’s Aligned Business Framework, which we introduced close to 10 years ago, fosters an environment of transparency and will continue to guide our close relationships with our suppliers.”
