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

[Efthreeoh]

I know plenty of people who have worked at the same type of facility in Indiana. It is a shit place to work. You are worked like a slave for shit pay with shit hours. Plastic extruder facilities are probably the same everywhere. Whether they are dumpster lids, trash cans, bedliners or binders; it's all the same. Nothing special about this top other than it has separate parts that must go together well without leaks for years to come.
Good luck with that idea. This top is a shit idea that looked good on paper.

The Bronco top is not made of extruded plastic. It's just a bit more complicated part.

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[Razorbak86]

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.

Man, you’re gonna make ‘em work for it. Let’s just make it easy for everybody.

https://www.theverge.com/2020/10/5/21502379/tesla-modely-roof-flies-off-convertible-quality-issue
https://electrek.co/2020/11/23/tesla-model-s-roof-seen-flying-off-dashcam-video/

 

[Carolina Jim]

If Tesla got involved, the fricking thing would fly off at speed...

Musk's stuff doesn't actually have to work. His main income stream is milking carbon credits from us taxpayers.

 

[Bronco4]

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.

Sorry but everything Musk does requires Government Money. Fact is not Political.

 

[Efthreeoh]

Sorry but everything Musk does requires Government Money. Fact is not Political.

The US Government has pretty much paid for the matriculation of every rocket scientist since WWII.

 

[Bronco4]

The US Government has pretty much paid for the matriculation of every rocket scientist since WWII.

And that is nothing to admire or appreciate.

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

FWIW, in googling who makes Jeep hardtops, I came across a time in 2010 where Jeep had hardtop supply constraints as they changed suppliers:

https://www.autoblog.com/amp/2010/03/03/report-jeep-dealers-face-shortage-of-hardtop-wranglers/

I did not find anything definitive on who makes them now.

 

[Killed By Death]

WebASSto, they left out a "S"

 

[WCP-82]

FWIW, in googling who makes Jeep hardtops, I came across a time in 2010 where Jeep had hardtop supply constraints as they changed suppliers:

https://www.autoblog.com/amp/2010/03/03/report-jeep-dealers-face-shortage-of-hardtop-wranglers/

I did not find anything definitive on who makes them now.

I am not sure why people keep saying Jeep has hard tops, they were able to build hard tops. How many years has the production of tops for Jeep been cranking them out? Comparing a very well established hard top manufacturer to a brand new facility isn't a fair comparison. Both may have had supply issues but Jeep wasn't having to deal with everything else involved with a new product.

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

I am not sure why people keep saying Jeep has hard tops, they were able to build hard tops. How many years has the production of tops for Jeep been cranking them out? Comparing a very well established hard top manufacturer to a brand new facility isn't a fair comparison. Both may have had supply issues but Jeep wasn't having to deal with everything else involved with a new product.

Someone said Webasto makes Jeep Hardtops too. Was looking to prove that out.

So based on Jeep’s 2010 fiasco, Ford was always going to encounter startup issues. COVID delays and “toxic management” seem to have shifted those startup issues into the time when Ford needed them fully operational.

 

[Bronco-ocnorB]

Now that today's news is out there....

Within the last 6 weeks, Ford engineers were dispatched en mass to the Webasto plant in Plymouth to troubleshoot issues with factory output. In the time since, Ford has effectively assumed operational control of the plant and are working to resolve the issue under threat of vacating the contract entirely.

Some MAP employees have spent their shutdown time over in Plymouth trying to get things moving.

The "additional millions to resolve supply chain issues" in today's messaging specifically references the major rework Ford is paying for at the facility.

The good news is that the early quality concerns have been completely addressed, as the assemblies currently coming out meet all the agreed upon standards. However, both the physical setup of the plant itself and a toxic, disorganized management culture are severely limiting output of product and onboarding of employees.

The ship is being righted but it won't be fully resolved in the near term.

Source: same as all the other info I've shared along the way... friends in engineering and production on this project.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[WCP-82]

Someone said Webasto makes Jeep Hardtops too. Was looking to prove that out.

So based on Jeep’s 2010 fiasco, Ford was always going to encounter startup issues. COVID delays and “toxic management” seem to have shifted those startup issues into the time when Ford needed them fully operational.

Wasn't calling you out. I just see too many "why can't Ford get its shit together" posts and then want to compare it to Jeep. I think the management issues are more of the concern than supply at this point. Jeep has had 11 years since 2010 to fix problems.

 

[flatlander40]

They don’t but if you have ever looked at their supply chain and how they run a distribution system I am confident they could manage this process more effectively. The automation in their warehouses is amazing.. I know all the die hard Ford folks are going to get their chapped over my comment but what has Ford done to give me any confidence throughout this process other than design a cool retro suv that pretty much looks like an old IH Scout and the design is awesome but it’s not revolutionary . My simple point is I’m not sure Ford taking over the plant will change much. They will throw a bunch of money at it but I bet I still get a MY 22 with a day one reservation. They took our money too soon and many of their dealers did too. They can’t even supply the tow hitch for Gods sake and I’m supposed to believe they are going to swoop in and save the day at webasto? Call me skeptical.

Take a look around at a Tesla factory
You might change your mind

https://earth.app.goo.gl/?link=http...us=googleearth&cid=2985425519131366284&_icp=1

 

[j_marinelli]

Kind of off topic

Take a look around at a Tesla factory
You might change your mind

https://earth.app.goo.gl/?link=https://earth.google.com/web/search/tesla+factory+fremont/@37.49020425,-121.93820504,6.93243381a,75.52917911d,35y,123.06456373h,60.00002329t,0r/data=CigiJgokCceVfeSlx0JAEeJRZuQ_ukJAGQXT7eHpdl7AIXg0BwJ8iF7A?fdl=1&apn=com.google.earth&isi=293622097&ibi=com.google.b612&ius=googleearth&cid=2985425519131366284&_icp=1

LOL so you got me to look around it and I ended up on street view. I wonder why this worker's hand is blurred out

 

[flatlander40]

Kind of off topic

LOL so you got me to look around it and I ended up on street view. I wonder why this worker's hand is blurred out

That’s funny!
Guess he’s not a google fan?!? Lol

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