What a year it's shaping up to be for the team at Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM)! As they proudly celebrate their 15th anniversary, they're also marking a significant achievement in vehicle quality, proving that dedication truly builds excellence.
The trucks rolling off the production line at FTM – the popular Ford Ranger and the high-performance Ranger Raptor – have reached a remarkable milestone: their ‘best-ever 3MIS R/1000’ (best-ever Three Months in Service). Now, if that sounds a bit technical, just think of it this way: In the automotive world, 3MIS R/1000 is a crucial measure of how few issues customers report per thousand vehicles within the first three months of vehicle ownership. This best-ever score is particularly noteworthy – it's the lowest R/1000 the plant has seen since 2019. Achieving this level of quality puts FTM firmly ‘on track for Best-In-Class performance’ amongst our competitors. That's a remarkable accomplishment!
FTM's impressive performance is also earning global recognition. As part of Ford's Global Quality Award, which evaluates manufacturing sites worldwide within Ford, on various quality indicators, FTM has been specifically recognized this year receiving the Global VO Plant Quality Excellence Award for best overall quality performance improvement. This recognition underscores their consistent dedication and success in getting better year over year.
So, what's been the recipe for this success, particularly as they mark 15 years of operation? It boils down to clear priorities, focus with dedication and ingenuity of the people on the ground.
Focusing on Only What Matters:
· Build on Zero Defect Mindset: FTM has adopted a relentless ‘zero-defect focus.’ This mindset is all about preventing any issues from happening during the build process, which is vital for vehicles to be ‘First-Run Capability’ (built correctly the first time with no quality stop) and for ensuring parts from suppliers are consistently high quality.
· Smart Operations, Shared Ownership: The team also emphasized ‘Cost Efficient’ by fostering a plant-wide culture where employees were ‘cost conscious’ and felt a real sense of ‘employee ownership.’ Everyone is encouraged to see the bigger picture and contribute not just to quality, but also to sustainable, smart operations.
The Human Touch:
· Empowering Their Own Talent: A big part of the success comes from empowering their own people. By ‘leveraging in-house talent,’ they've been able to develop ‘innovative solutions’ to tackle waste and improve quality directly on the factory floor. Things like ‘Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) Dashboard’ and the ‘IQ Dashboard’ are great examples of the team's ingenuity at work.
· Living the FTM DNA: This level of performance requires incredible teamwork. While following Ford's global operating principles, the success is truly fueled by what they call the ‘FTM DNA’ that translate Ford Thailand Manufacturing as ‘Family – Teamwork – Motivated.’ It paints a picture of a supportive, collaborative, and driven workforce that treats each other like family.
Reflecting on this dual milestone, Vinko Saric, Thailand Operations Transformation Director, shared, "Achieving our best-ever quality score for Ranger and Ranger Raptor – the lowest R/1000 since 2019 – stands out as a defining moment. This is a direct result of our team's dedication, their innovative spirit, and the powerful bonds of our FTM DNA – Family, Teamwork, Motivated. It's a truly memorable milestone that belongs to everyone here.”
Sundar Venkatesan, IMG Quality and New Model Program Director said, “Zero defect is possible and FTM is on track to reach best in class quality level performance by end of 2025. Huge congratulations to the entire FTM team for this outstanding quality achievements and their 15th anniversary! Their commitment is clearly setting a high standard for the future.”
Here's to the next chapter of success for FTM – where every vehicle, every improvement, and every team member plays a part in building a legacy of quality that keeps getting stronger.
