⛑ Ford effectively assumes operational control of Webasto's Plymouth plant to help resolve Bronco top supply issue

[ilbastarge]

Thanks for Sharing this. Got me looking into this on Glassdoor. Reviews seems to follow what you are say. Here's one that I found interesting.

Current Employee, more than 10 years
In 2017, Webasto Roof Systems rose like a Phoenix, only to take a serious nose dive 3 years later.
Apr 11, 2021 - Fly On the Wall in Detroit, MI
Recommend
CEO Approval
Business Outlook
Pros
Regular Paycheck and some good people holding out hope for a return to a positive Corp culture
Cons
Webasto Roof Systems Americas’ has lost its way..... Seemingly Inept Mgmt, each executive scrambling to CYA, providing inadequate communication from top down, and no genuine concern for colleague health during covid (often forcing colleagues into situations that place production quotas over health & wellbeing), HR is either unavailable or unapproachable and are definitely minions of mgmt, A once thriving Culture is now DOA with no direction or champion after departures of CEO and CFO in 2020/21. The remaining executive mgmt team has quickly forgotten what it was like to have the “worst ever seen” corporate culture according to McKinsey and Co.’s Organizational Health Index. It’s a shame after so much hard work by so many people. With So many unhappy, disappointed and disheartened colleagues...it’s no wonder Webasto has a high turnover with indications of a mass exodus on the horizon.
Advice to Management
Two things you can’t disconnect...People and Profit. Try to remember that the link to organizational success and profit is corporate culture and employee engagement. The former CEO and CFO both understood the importance of Investing in and engaging with the people who had entrusted their families and their futures to Webasto and were under their span of care . They knew without happy, engaged and enthusiastic colleagues, high quality sunroofs weren’t going to build themselves! They understood to put people first and profits will follow. Oh...And Stop using “family” as a tag line and marketing tool....Webasto may have had a few “like family”moments, but it has since lost that loving feeling.

"Colleague"="comrade"="brother"?

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[Portapot]

Gotta love how 2021 post-pandemic supply chain efficiency is so frequently judged by 2019 pre-pandemic expectations, despite supply chains in almost every industry around the world being totally FUBAR right now.

That’s fair but they had no issue taking our deposits at Ford Level and dealer level when no one could get toilet paper.

 

[Bronco2021RV]

Can you imagine? It has to be absolutely humiliating for "leadership" there.

That sounds like that was the problem...there leadership. If you can’t make the employees happy then your going to get just what happend. looks like leadership is a problem with this hole project. If Ford couldn’t see this problem with Webasto 8 months ago then IMO leadership is weak in both companies. Just my thoughts.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That’s fair but they had no issue taking our deposits at Ford Level and dealer level when no one could get toilet paper.

Yup, they should have pulled the plug on the whole thing due to an uncertain future.

 

[RagingBulldog]

New factories in other locations should be investigated by Ford.

Some little company is building the Cybertruck factory in Austin, Texas, we have plenty of land to grow.

https://electrek.co/2021/03/12/tesla-gigafactory-texas-drone-footage-shows-progress/

Shreveport has the old GM plant that’s mostly idle (after the Elio motors debacle).

 

[North7]

Shreveport has the old GM plant that’s mostly idle (after the Elio motors debacle).

Wait, you mean Elio was not real, just vaporware

 

[dweskamp]

do they also mfg the mod-top??

I hope not

 

[Jubear]

Thank you for the information! Wish Ford would have been a little more forward with the problems. (Contracts be damned). I am in for the long haul, as I really want this truck, but this is really getting old. Having to get the real information from other sources and not the horses mouth.

 

[wbrainbow]

Can you imagine? It has to be absolutely humiliating for "leadership" there.

Or lack of leadership.

 

[Lashedup]

The liquidated damages for them are likely huge and they are probably eager to have Ford step in and help. They are in no position to balk at anything Ford wants to do at this point. Ford will exact compensation now and again on future contracts. Both of these companies have been around a long time and they are aware of the consequences and how the game is played.

I still think they get this stuff worked out by the end of summer.

The thing to keep in mind is that numerous manufacturers and suppliers are falling back on force majeuere clauses and the normal penalties and potential legal action is not an option. Plus doing that to long term supplier relationships is counterproductive.

The headline of this post is misleading. It is not uncommon for a manufacturer like Ford to send people over to a supplier to “help” and find out what’s going on. But legally Ford is not taking over the plant or assuming control - too many liabilities. Just nuance to the situation. Plus I also went into detail in a different thread what’s going on with the plastics market (resin specifically). Supplies are extremely low and prices are very high. Producers in Texas, which were already strapped and barely keeping up with pace, had a major set back with the Texas cold snap.

It’s going to be many months before these problems start to correct in the right direction.

 

[Efthreeoh]

if you told me Amazon or Tesla took over the plant , that would give me encouragement. ;-)., but Ford, not so much. They can’t even send an email that adds value why should I believe they can turn this plant around.? And I detest Amazon, Tesla I’m neutral because I highly regard Musk, he thinks big like Henry Ford did. Henry is rolling in his grave right now.

LOL. Amazon wouldn't know the first thing about manufacturing a SMC multi-section automotive roof system. If Tesla got involved, the fricking thing would fly off at speed... You can google and learn about the cluster F getting the Model 3 was getting into full-rate production, if you are interested.

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