NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 COVER STORY
15
ALL CHANGE
The automotive industry has undergone signifi cant
evolution in the past decade, in the face of huge
challenges. We speak to one of the key architects
of change at one of the sector’s biggest names
BY CHRIS BECK
www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk
Wendy Graham’s fi rst day at Ford’s
Dagenham factory, back in 1995,
was one to remember. Having
just completed a degree in
mechanical and manufacturing
engineering from Cardiff
University, Graham found herself in the
plant’s paint shop, which was set to be home
of the factory’s fi rst foray into automation,
with the installation of 25 robots – at a time
when automation was seen as a death-knell for
manual work. Negotiating with a shopfl oor full
of staff reticent to change was a baptism of fi re,
but one Graham passed with fl ying colours.
Since then, her career at the company has
gone from strength to strength, rising through
the ranks across all areas of the production
process – from stamping to trim and fi nal –
across the Europe and Russia, where she has
modifi ed existing processes to become more
effi cient, including setting up a powertrain
business offi ce, determining manufacturing
footprint for all Ford’s current and future
sees her assess, develop and implement
measures for future sustainability.
Graham sat down with MM of challenges.
MM: You’ve enjoyed a very varied
career within Ford, and have
overseen – and been responsible
for – a lot of change. What are
the key challenges facing Ford
and automotive manufacturing
in general?
WG: Unfortunately, Ford of
Europe has been losing money
for several years, so the entire
reason for resetting was to
boost our gross margin and
reduce our structural costs. My
role in that has been to support
the reduction of our Europewide
headcount by 20% (10,000
people). The fi rst cuts usually
come in the manufacturing
area, sadly.
Some of those decisions have
been market-driven – we made
a strategic choice to pull our
passenger vehicle portfolio from
Russia, instead strengthening
our commercial vehicle range
there – and some are marketdriven
changes, especially
around diesel power. We have
to ensure our future vehicles
and powertrains meet any new
diesel and petrol engines, based on current
and projected demand. Her current role, as
reset and redesign manager for Ford of Europe
major restructuring projects, and put in place
As Ford and the wider automotive industry
begins the long road to recovery following
the worst shock to hit the sector for decades,
to discuss her
philosophy for change management and how
she – and the company – are facing a new set
emissions regulations, local
/www.manufacturingmanagement.co.uk