Pilot production and final assembly

 

 

From cold steel to car - the latest state of the art transfer presses were installed.
 

 

At Ford your part of the family as the staff are known, and the family all over the world created the Mondeo together - designed by Americans, Germans and the Brits (with help from the Italians) tested by the Scandinavians and built by the Belgians. Prior to the mondeo all major production models had been double sourced, in case trouble with suppliers, acts of god and acts of er activists… However it was all or nothing - Genk in Belgium would exclusively produce the mondeo, a move employing 1500 new staff creating a third night shift of staff too. In total 600 million dollars was invested, a high percentage on the new body pressing plant. Also a just-in-time strategy favoured by the (ultra efficient) Japanese was adopted.


 

 

The Genk “pilot” production line, late 1992

Unusually too Genk would construct the first pilot batch of cars as well. (Prior to series production in November 1992 - four months before launch.) During this time members of the assembly line family were invited to assist in flagging any potential hiccups.
Finally in addition to this, 115 cars were being tested by heavy usage customers across Europe - emergency services, couriers and Toner salesmen. The ultimate test.
 

 

Bequeathed by Ford, and property of the science museum, is this early Mondeo a pilot build example? Note the LHD arrangement.