December 1, 1913 - Ford Motor Company Begins Using the Moveable Assembly Line

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Ford Motor Company introducing the movable assembly line to the world. This invention completely revolutionized the way that business and production were conducted across the entire globe and its effects are still evident in society today. Many would be surprised when finding out the place of inspiration for Henry Ford’s world changing idea was a Chicago meatpacking store[i]. This meat packing store had a disassembly process in place and upon seeing this, Ford made the connection and applied the reverse process to his own company. Prior to Ford’s revolutionary concept of bringing parts to employees, the product (specifically the Model-T), was stationary on a table and teams and groups of workers moved from one table to another to build or add on one piece to any specific Model-T. While production techniques needed to be refined, it was quite clear from the start that this new method was going to greatly reduce costs and time of production. The two foundations of this new method were the concepts of interchangeable parts and division of labor[ii]. These two new techniques were both the foundation and the driving force behind the rise of Ford Motor Company’s modernization of the production industry.

While production skyrocketed and seemed to be a great idea from the outside, these new methods took a toll on the factory workers. Previously, workers had a variety of tasks and were constantly moving from place to place to achieve goals along the production line. This style kept work fresh and kept employees engaged. In the new system, employees were stuck in one spot, preforming one function all day long. It made work mundane, caused frustrations, and gave workers back aches. Ford and his engineers slowly worked out the kinks to make work easier for employees and to create a better work environment. One of the most shocking changes that Ford introduced was doubling in the salary that workers received. Henry Ford was an innovator and truly looked after his workers with their best interests in mind. He was a master at achieving maximum production while satisfying the needs of his laborers simultaneously.

Henry Ford, and his introduction of the assembly line to his company, successfully made the car an accessible item to even the most low-income families. Similar to the likes of Steve Jobs, Henry Ford was one of the greatest visionaries in American history. These two men took their respective products, the computer and the automobile, two items known to only wealthy Americans, and made them attainable for those from all walks of life. Ford is directly credited with the revolution of the assembly process, but should be given more credit for his work in effectively altering the course of human history for the better.

- Nick M. and Matthew G.



[i] "Ford Installs First Moving Assembly Line." PBS.org. PBS, n.d. Web. 24 Nov. 2013
[ii] "Ford Motor Car Company History." The Assembly Line. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2013