Ford, Canada

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 764, 10 September 1929, Page 6

Ford, Canada

Largest Car Factory in The British Empire

WILL APPLETON’S IMPRESSIONS Although only a river separates Ford, Ontario, Canada, from Detroit, United States, and it is difficult for a stranger to realise the difference between the two countries from a topographical point of view, residents of the Canadian territory soon clear up any doubts you may have on this j this point. j Canadians are justly proud of having j the largest car factory, in the British j Empire, says Mr. Will Appleton, a leading New Zealand advertising man. They are proud, too, of their Ford plant, and prouder still oj- the fact that it is controlled and operated by Britishers on behalf of t! 1 28,000 Canadian shareholders. Due no doubt to the proximity of the United States, there is more British flavour about the Ford plant in Canada than I have experienced in any other Canadian city. It is really remarkable how the employees en masse resent any suggestion that the Ford car is made in America, and only assembled in Canada. CANADIAN RAW MATERIALS I -7 rut a day at the Canadian works, and I must say I was amazed at the extent of the work that is done at Ford City. With the exception of the glass and a few minor points, every single bit of the Ford is made in Canada from the raw material to the finished product. The workmen are British Canadians for the most part, and incidentally of a higher grade than the men I saw at the main Ford plant at River Rouge, Detroit, a day or so later. My guide, an Englishman, with a pronm ced Oxford accent, informed me that today the various plants and works occupy 204 r es, 8,800 men are employed, and the present facilities enable 610 cars a day to be manufactured. In the plant there are over 5,000 individual machines, every one of which is driven by Its own motor. In reality the Canadian Ford plant is a group of dozens of industries, as we know them, all brought together under one roof. A beehive has nothing on this Ford shop, and the impression I got was that the men just went on with the job without hurry and without apparent exertion. The whole thing to u iy mind represented the quintessence of organisation, and the skilful handling of machinery. I could not but admire the marvellous conveyor system. It carries the materials from place to place, enabling the men to stand still at their work. Consecutive operations are placed adjacent to one another. and the macliines being set in sequence makes it possible for each succeeding operation to be xtassed on to the next with a minimum of handling and delay.