Ford Plans to Match Pace of Japanese Rivals

Ford Motor Co., in an effort to expand business and improve engineering and manufacturing operations worldwide, has designed a secret project aimed at cutting in half the time it takes to bring a car or truck to market, a report said Sunday.

The “Concept to Customer” project is designed to help the No. 2 auto maker match the pace of Japanese car makers in the all-important product development cycle, officials told the Detroit News.

Ford’s initiative was expected to significantly exceed the $16.5 billion spent during the past five years for new facilities and tools.

The project’s other aims are:

Making a “big hit” acquisition--most likely outside the auto industry--to assure new sources of profit.

Expanding Ford’s automotive business by increasing worldwide vehicle sales and in-house production of automotive parts.

Modernization of existing plants, including some that have been revamped in recent years.

Major increases in scientific research to improve vehicle performance and make manufacturing techniques more efficient.

The new plan is risky. The world automotive market is expected to be more competitive in the next 20 years than at any previous time.,

However, industry experts say Ford is well-armed for the struggle. Ronald Glantz, an auto industry analyst at Montgomery Securities in San Francisco, said the No. 2 auto maker’s belief that it can achieve worldwide growth is justified.

“I think Ford is justifiably proud of what it has accomplished this decade,” Glantz told the News. “Ford has the management skills and the cash to grow, not only in its own line but in new lines of business.”

“Concept to Customer” is a key element of Ford’s plan. Few details are being disclosed, but it represents a company plan to compete more successfully against Japanese auto makers, which design and introduce new cars much faster than United States and European auto companies.