History of Ford in India free essay sample

1907 India begins selling the Model A 1926 Ford India is established by Ford of Canada 1935 Indian government officials ask Henry Ford to consider building a car manufacturing plant in Bombay 1941 Mahatma Gandhi sends spinning wheel, the symbol of Indias economic independence, to Henry Ford. 1954 Ford India operations cease. 1969 Ford re-enters India in a joint venture with Escorts Ltd. to produce tractors. 1991 Ford ceases tractor operations. Ford establishes Climate Systems India, a joint venture with Maruti and Sumitomo Corporation. 1993 Production starts at the Climate Systems India Plant in Bhiwandi. 1995 (Feb) Ford demonstrates its commitment to the Indian market by completing an equity purchase of 5. 8% in MM. 1995 (Sept) Ford and MM file for government approval to establish a joint venture company to manufacture and distribute vehicles. 1995 (Nov) Ford and MM receive government approval on joint venture called Mahindra Ford India Ltd. (MFIL. ) 1996 (Jan) Mahindra Ford India Ltd. nnounces the choice of Maraimalai Nagar as the site for the new manufacturing facility to begin with the production of the Fiesta. 1996 (Aug) The first Indian-built Ford Escort rolls off the line in the Nashik Assembly Plant. 1996 (Sept) Ford Escort receives more than 70,000 sales bookings. 1996 (Oct) Mahindra Ford makes history in India by simultaneously handing over the first cars in seven cities just one month after close of bookings. 1997 (June) MFIL launches Ford Escort Freedom to mark Indias 50th year of independence. 997 (Sept) MFIL launches Ford Escort Anniversary to mark the first anniversary of Ford Escort in India. 1997 (Oct) The Ford-sponsored photo exhibition, India: A Celebration of Independence, opens in New Delhi. 1997 (Nov) Ford Escort chosen best quality car in JD Powers India Initial Quality Survey. 1997 (Dec) MFIL tops JD Powers Customer Satisfaction Index. 1998 (Mar) Ford establishes the Henry Ford Chair at the Indian Institute of Technology MM announces decision to modify its equity in MFIL. 1999 (July) Ford India lays the foundation stone for an export plant. The export plant will source auto components locally and assemble kits to export to overseas markets. 1999 (Nov) Ford India launches the IKON first car built specifically for India by a multi-national company built at its new state-of-the-art plant in Tamil Nadu. 2000 (Feb) Ford India announced that the IKON 1. 3 CLXi Endura-E petrol would be available at Ford dealerships across India from March 1, 2000. 2000 (Mar) The IKON 1. 6 Rally Sport was made available at Ford dealerships on March 24, 2000 The Ford IKON is specially designed for India. The IKON has 70 per cent local content. 2000 (Feb) On February 10, Ford India announced that Narain Karthikeyan would be racing for the Ford-owned Jaguar racing team in the FIA British Formula 3 championship. The company renewed its sponsorship agreement and organised a corporate sponsorship consortium to provide training, development, mentoring and financial backing to Narain in a bid to become the British Formula 3 champion in 2000. 2000 (Apr) Ford India launched Ford Assured on April 24, 2000, a new initiative to buy and sell used cars. This initiative is a first of its kind venture, in which Ford India along with its dealerships will buy, recondition and sell various models of used cars. 2000 (June) Certified for ISO 14001 : 1996 on June 8, 2000 2000 (June) On June 23, 2000, Ford India introduced the latest member of the Josh team, The Ford IKON EXi. This model is available at Ford dealerships from July 2000. 2000 (Aug) On August 4, Ford India announced the Conservation Environmental Grants programme in India. The grants programme is open to projects in five categories: Natural Environment, Conservation Engineering, Heritage, Environmental Education and Youth projects. 2000 (Sept) On September 11, Ford India launched the Ford IKON SXi – the stylish ‘josh’ machine simultaneously in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. This model is available at Ford dealerships from mid-September 2000. 2000 (Oct) Ford India has started exporting Ford IKON CKD units, registering an initial order of 1600 units in October 2000. Ford India is well on its way to reach the target figure of 21,000 IKONs in the current financial year, having already crossed the figure of 19,000 IKONs. 2001 (Feb) Ford India launched a distinctive website with exciting new design element and features to delight motoring enthusiasts, called www. india. ford. com. 2001 (Feb) Ford Assured launched in a partnership with the dealership to buy, recondition and sell used cars of different Indian makes. 2001 (May) Certified ISO 9001:1994 on May 02, 2001. 2001 (Nov) Ford announces winner for the Ford Conservation and Environment Grant program 2001. Ford India announced the winners of the Ford Conservation Environmental Grants (CE) Programme in an awards ceremony held at IIT, Madras. Dr Palanichami, IAS, Secretary, Environment Forest Department, Government of Tamilnadu, presided over the function and presented the grant to five winners from the adult and youth category. 2001(Nov) Ford India launched the Ford Mondeo. 2002 (Jan) Ford India show cases a wide spectrum of exciting cars at the Auto Expo 2002. Ford India unveiled a wide range of exciting cars from the Ford Motor Company stable at the Auto Expo 2002, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.