MAP Rumored to Add a Third Production Shift in Q4

[Chrism81]

We are on 2 shifts and only 2 shifts. The fact that people that are running this site reporting false information its not cool, then trying to get employees to report back to them with numbers and problems in the plants is pathetic. People are getting in big trouble reporting to media stuff that is going on. So I will say this again that report is false

So what info on here is false? If there were not issues then why would ford tell dealers to recommend people changing to soft top.

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[Golfnut1913]

So what info on here is false? If there were not issues then why would ford tell dealers to recommend people changing to soft top.

The report of a 3rd shift in the 4th quarter is false

 

[Chrism81]

The report of a 3rd shift in the 4th quarter is false

oh ok. thanks

 

[swooshdave]

Second shift was announced and hired last year. Things have changed for the worse not the better. Your 500-600 per shift is a theoretical max number of UNITS. That means Ranger AND Bronco.

Agree, but there are plenty of Rangers out there now. I don't see a 50/50 split.

 

[dcg2]

So who is Webasto and how did they get the contract? Lowest bidder? With or without the virus this was to be a major issue. They are hopelessly unprepared and unqualified to knock out these tops at the rate necessary. And it's evident there is no back up plan.
Amazing how an entire new vehicle program hinges on one company's ability to follow up on what they said they could do.

Not defending them by any stretch but they are a 120 yr old company that's built tops / roofs for BMW, Ferrari, and others.

https://www.webasto-group.com/en/original-equipment/roof-systems/

Definitely not viewed as a "risky" choice in 2018 or 2019.

Unfortunately they have multiple facilities in Wuhan and were one of the first identified Covid infection lockdown recipients in China and vectors out of China into Germany.

I'm assuming the fairly strict German lockdown strategy kept equipment and people from getting to the US.

I'm not an insider or even that smart, just interested in how we got here.

 

[BadSquatch21]

I'm sensing maybe a current union negotiation going on for a 3rd shift in the 4th quarter. So the fact that it was reported as being a fact is false but maybe current discussions are ongoing....

 

[604Bronco]

Not defending them by any stretch but they are a 120 yr old company that's built tops / roofs for BMW, Ferrari, and others.

https://www.webasto-group.com/en/original-equipment/roof-systems/

Definitely not viewed as a "risky" choice in 2018 or 2019.

Unfortunately they have multiple facilities in Wuhan and were one of the first identified Covid infection lockdown recipients in China and vectors out of China into Germany.

I'm assuming the fairly strict German lockdown strategy kept equipment and people from getting to the US.

I'm not an insider or even that smart, just interested in how we got here.

I saw this on their home page and had a good "lol"... Reliable...

 

[Brad Fx]

At my dealership's Bronco preview event today (same LB & Rapid Red that's been Everywhere) one of the dealer's management staff said Ford & the union had just agreed to add a 3rd shift at MAP for the 4th quarter. That'll crank out some Broncos

Seems like all the manufacturers involved need to get on this 3rd quarter, not 4th. Let’s get these cranked out.

 

[JaxGtc]

As for Webasto, they had to build a new facility, tool it, staff it, and stand it up in 2020. Meanwhile most folks were at home splitting their time between zoom calls and fridge visits. I harbor no ill feelings toward them at all. Like many folks, they deserve a pass considering everything. They have been doing this long enough that they will get it figured out.

 

[Lord Bronco]

As for Webasto, they had to build a new facility, tool it, staff it, and stand it up in 2020. Meanwhile most folks were at home splitting their time between zoom calls and fridge visits. I harbor no ill feelings toward them at all. Like many folks, they deserve a pass considering everything. They have been doing this long enough that they will get it figured out.

Valid opinion. However, in their rush to offer so many trim levels and sub-packages, Ford whiffed on simply offering a soft top option on all models, including two-door.

 

[JaxGtc]

Ha. My biggest read from all of this - on a personal level - looking at my model, is that if July builds are highly skewed to soft tops (non FEs), and FEs get pushed out to August...I would assume in the month of August, they would not exceed 75% of allocated builds to FEs (given they need to amass hardtops and also need to keep the build dates going and some non FE guys happy). Like that would be the more extreme example of them 'banging through' FE builds. Even then, it would take them 4 weeks to churn through 7k FEs assuming 75% / 2.5k/week...while the other 25% are mainly soft tops given they need the hard tops for the FEs. Naturally pushing out for example, hard top sasquatches to September build at the earliest. I.e. unless you are very lucky, the earliest you'd take delivery of even a Day 1 reservation / low allocation sasquatch MIC top is October. And even that would require a good bit of luck. Pair that with the additional ford workers Q4 I think that goes hand in hand with webasto coming out of covid restraints and producing. Certainly feel like Q4 delivery for loaded Sasquatch mic tops, limping into YE

Maybe those FEs get spread out till November. Takes the pressure off.

 

[jaruss01]

Maybe those FEs get spread out till November. Takes the pressure off.

Honestly, I would rather just get them out of the way. Put the pressure on Webasto. If the FE is slow-played with MIC tops trickling in, it could be an looong few months of FEs (with MIC tops) paired with soft tops. The sooner Ford gets through the FEs the faster they could have their hands out to webasto for fresh inventory. That's the biggest fear is that webasto doesnt ramp up, and the FE gets dragged out towards the end of the year sucking up a lions share of MIC tops.

 

[AZshot]

OK, fixing this is easy for Ford. Who said it has to be Sole Source? When you have a supplier that can't deliver, you get another, or 2 more suppliers. There are still plenty of aerospace companies around America that would like to pick up a contract to make 50,000 Painted Modular Tops. It's not that complicated.

Remember WWII? The government would let out the design, and 10 different companies would make M-1 Carbines (the US made 6 Million of them in 2 years), 5 shipyards would make destroyers (100 made in 4 years), 4 optical companies make binoculars, or 3 would make Jeeps. And 3-4 companies made helmets for all 16 MILLION SOLDIERS!

I can't believe there is ONLY ONE COMPANY IN THE WORLD THAT CAN MAKE a paltry 150K BRONCO HARD TOPS.

Ford - get it together - tell Webslacko they're not fulfilling the contract schedule, and they lose. Get 2-3 other companies to make them. Boeing or Lockheed for example.

DONE....

 

[Daktari]

Ford should give everybody a soft top with all the hardware for the MIC top to be delivered at a later date! Free of charge!

I'd be happy to pay for it, I'd not mind at all switching back to dual top as I had ordered, give me the soft top with all the wiring and plumbing for the hard top now, deliver the hard top to my dealer when ever you have it ready. But I'm not getting a Bronco with that stuff missing, as I don't have a clue if I'll like the soft top.
Give me the wiring, I'll change to dual top, bring me that thing when ever, to my home or my dealer, 5 min away. I don't even need free, just no extra $. I will keep the $1000 Ford points I got for making the switch from dual to MIC though, that's not negotiable.

 

[Daktari]

If your business is not able or willing to pay people more than what unemployment pays, your business deserves to fail. Why would anyone want to work for you? SMH

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