Henry Ford
By Illa Vij

A BRILLIANT engineer’s vision, foresight and determination gave rise to an industrial empire and made the motor car indispensible to mankind. Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863, on a farm in Dearborn, Michigan, USA. When he was about eight years old he went to school in the Scotch settlement. He showed an inclination towards repairing clocks and watches and helped in the chores at the farm, like chopping wood and milking cows.

By the age of 12, Henry was ploughing and gained mechanical knowledge from experience. He was fascinated by engineers and experimented with a couple of things. At the age of 13, Henry lost his mother. When he was 16 years, he left the farm. He went to Detroit and took up a job of repairing watches.He earned a few dollars a week. Henry came across a magazine World of Science in which he read about Nikolaus Otto who had invented an internal combustion engine which had recently been patented for manufacture in the USA.Henry met Clara Bryant and married her in April 1888. His father gave him 40 acres of land on which he experimented with a locomotive. Keen to know more about engines, Henry took up a job as a steam engineer with the Edison Company of Detroit.

In 1893, Henry got a chance to visit the world fair in Chicago where he studied the small petrol engine used for pumping water. On reaching home, he decided to work on a petrol engine to run a motor car. Soon Henry became chief engineer at the Edison company. In the backyard of his house, he set up a small workshop where he began working on the petrol engine.For two years, Henry laboured to make his two-cylinder engine propel a bicycle. Dissatisfied, he decided to improve it. He made his engine drive a four-wheel carriage. That was his first step into the automobile business. The world got it’s first Ford car from the little shed at the backyard of Henry Ford’s house in Bagley Avenue, Detroit. Some of its parts were made from scrap metal, that was forged at dry docks works where Henry had earlier worked. Two valves were given by a friend and so on. It would not be reversed nor did it have any brakes. Its first trial was given in May, 1896. It was driven round the clock and watched with admiration. Since he was still continuing with his job, the company bosses resented his divided attention.

In the meantime some businessmen in Detroit offered him $ 10,000 as an advance to make a 10 cars, and start a new company. By August, 1899, Henry had entered his new career. Henry wanted to improve all the existing systems of the car and a lot of money was spent. His supporters withdrew support and he had to part from the company which initially bore his name. It was now changed to Cadillac AutomobileCompany. On November 23, 1901, Henry launched a new company with new supporters. It was called Henry Ford Company. He designed two powerful racing cars. Despite all ups and downs in his business and life, Henry was determined never to look back.

By 1925, the Ford company was providing 10,000 cars every 24 hours. When World War I broke out, Henry financed a Peace Ship to carry delegates for the conference to promote peace. He promoted welfare schemes and started Henry Ford Trade School for boys. He opposed World War II too until Pearl Harbour was attacked. Then hebuilt a massive bomber factory. By 1945, he had produced thousands of four-engined war planes. Henry died on April 7, 1947, leaving behind a mighty empire. He left the largest trust fund in the world known as the Ford Foundation working for the welfare of mankind. His industrial philosophy was to cut the price of a product, are increase the volume of sales.

Some facts

lIn the 1940’s when the company was nearing bankruptcy, Henry Ford II, Henry grandson took over the presidency of the company, reorganised the company, introduced new marketing methods and literally saved the company, bringing back its profits.

lFord’s Model T appeared in 1908. The production was like this: 1909 — 1S0,600 cars; 1910 — 18,660 cars; 1911 — 34,520 cars; 1927 — 15,000,000 cars.

lIn 1927, Henry shut down his massive plant to retool it for new Model A. In 1932, he again retooled it to produce V-8.