Stacy94PGT

Will it Work?

Way Forward, version 3, is on the way

By AMY WILSON | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

DETROIT -- A better version of Ford Motor Co.'s Way Forward restructuring plan is on its way, new CEO Alan Mulally said last week.

"We are going to continue to look for opportunities to improve that plan," Mulally said in an interview with Automotive News after Ford reported a $5.80 billion loss for the third quarter.

The two areas that most need enhancement are the product plan and manufacturing productivity, Mulally said.

Of the product plan, he said: "It is what it is today. But with the shifts in customer demand, we know we're going to end up with changes to that plan across the entire portfolio."

On the production side, Ford needs to do more to improve quality and the number of models that can be made at its assembly plants, he said. Mulally didn't rule out the possibility of more plants being closed beyond the 16 already announced.

Mulally described the coming changes to the restructuring plan as "incremental continuous improvement." Ford's executive team will review and carry out new ideas quarterly. The automaker will publicly disclose the changes, he said.

"The idea is that we have everybody inside Ford, all of our partners and suppliers, everybody is on the same kind of operating rhythm," Mulally said. "So we want everybody to know where we are on the current plan, and we want everybody to know when we're going to enhance the plan."

Ford already is on its second major revision of the Way Forward. An acceleration of the plan announced Sept. 15 called for more job cuts and faster plant closings than the first version revealed in January.

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Stacy94PGT
My first car was a 67 Mustang Coupe, 2nd one was a 67 Cougar XR-7, 3rd one was a 66 Mustang Coupe. Why did I get rid of these cars for ? I know why, because I'm stupid, stupid, stupid.

My next Ford.....