Henry Ford & Son Ltd.

Henry Ford & Son Ltd., commonly associated with Ford Ireland or Ford of Ireland, is the Irish subsidiary of the United States automobile manufacturer Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford established the company in Cork on 17 April 1917, making its first purpose-built factory outside the United States. The choice of Cork reflected Ford's family connection with the area: the Ford family had lived in Ballinascarty, County Cork, for generations before Henry Ford's father emigrated to America in 1832. Construction of the Cork plant took approximately two years. Production began in July 1919 with Fordson tractors, and the first tractor reportedly left the line on 3 July. The plant produced 303 tractors in 1919 and 3,626 in 1920, with sales directed mainly to Ireland and Britain while additional machines were exported to markets including France, Spain, Denmark, Romania and the Near East. The original business plan envisaged substantially higher annual output, but transport, distribution and changing customs conditions made Cork-based tractor production difficult to sustain. The company consequently broadened its manufacturing role. Its machine shop and foundry supplied cast-iron components and other parts for Ford of Britain, including components for the Model T. Tractor production ended in December 1922 after the Irish Free State's creation and the introduction of customs charges that made deliveries from Ireland less competitive. The company then concentrated on engines, rear axles and other components for Ford's European operations. Cork also contributed to the manufacture and assembly of Model T and Model A-related products, and later resumed tractor production briefly in 1929 before that activity was transferred to Dagenham during the economic crisis and under renewed customs pressure. After the Second World War, the Cork operation returned to vehicle assembly. Ford achieved a particularly strong position in Ireland, often holding roughly a quarter to a third of the passenger-car market and a still larger share of commercial vehicles during the post-war decades. The Cork plant assembled a broad range of Ford products, including the Cortina, Escort, Transit and D Series truck. Its importance led Ford Europe to approve a major modernization programme in the 1960s. Approximately IR£2 million was invested in rebuilding, re-equipping and reorganizing the facility, including a large body-finishing operation, new light-alloy buildings, separate assembly lines and an extensive parts-and-accessories store. The upgraded plant was formally opened on 11 October 1967 in a ceremony attended by Taoiseach Jack Lynch and other dignitaries. Ireland's entry into the European Economic Community in 1973 weakened the original economic rationale for local vehicle assembly because tariff barriers on imported cars were expected to fall. Ford retained the Cork operation for several years because of its history and strategic connection to the Irish market, but the plant operated at a scale far below Ford's larger European factories and incurred substantial losses by the 1980s. A further investment programme in 1982 sought to support assembly of the Sierra, but Ford of Europe announced on 17 January 1984 that the Cork plant would close. Final production ended on 13 July 1984, after almost seven decades, with the loss of approximately 800 jobs. Following the closure, Henry Ford & Son became principally associated with Ford's sales and distribution activities in Ireland rather than vehicle manufacturing. The Cork site was partly retained for distribution and later sold or redeveloped, while substantial portions of the former industrial complex survived in commercial, storage and warehousing uses. Ford products continued to have a significant cultural and commercial presence in Ireland, including locally distinctive Cortina editions and a long-running tradition of supplying vehicles to the Lord Mayor of Cork. The company therefore occupies a distinctive plac…

Henry Ford founded Henry Ford & Son in Cork on 17 April 1917. The location reflected the Ford family's origins in County Cork, particularly Ballinascarty, from which Henry Ford's father had emigrated to the United States. The factory took two years to build and was Ford's first purpose-built plant outside America. The Cork operation began producing Fordson tractors in July 1919. Output reached 303 tractors in the first year and 3,626 in 1920, with machines sold in Ireland and Britain and exported farther afield. The plant was intended to become a major tractor producer, but its cost structure and distribution arrangements proved challenging. The factory's machine shop and foundry were therefore used increasingly for Ford of Britain's requirements, including cast-iron components for Model T production. Following the establishment of the Irish Free State and the introduction of customs charges on deliveries from Ireland, tractor production ended on 29 December 1922 after 7,605 Cork-built tractors. Production equipment was shipped to Dearborn. Cork then supplied engines, rear axles and other components to Ford operations in Britain and elsewhere in Europe. The plant also participated in Model T and Model A-related manufacturing. Tractor production resumed in 1929 but was later transferred to Dagenham as the economic environment deteriorated and customs conditions changed. Thereafter Cork became primarily an assembly plant. The factory closed during the Second World War, and vehicle assembly resumed in February 1946. Ford subsequently became one of the strongest vehicle manufacturers in Ireland. During the post-war period the company commonly held approximately 25–35 percent of the Irish passenger-car market and approximately 35–40 percent of the commercial-vehicle market. Cork assembled a varied range of products, including the Cortina, Escort, Transit and D Series truck. Under managing director Tom Brennan, Ford Europe approved a major modernization programme in the 1960s. The approximately IR£2 million project rebuilt and re-equipped the site, added an advanced body-finishing department, reorganized final assembly and created extensive parts storage. The modernized facilities were opened on 11 October 1967. By that period the site covered approximately 33 acres and employed around 1,000 people. Ireland's accession to the European Economic Community in 1973 reduced the long-term value of local assembly as tariff barriers were removed or scheduled for removal. Ford continued operating in Cork because of its heritage and market position, but the plant's output was modest compared with Ford's large continental factories. Losses reached approximately IR£10 million annually in the 1980s. An upgrade intended to support Sierra assembly could not overcome the plant's structural disadvantages. Ford of Europe announced the closure on 17 January 1984, and final production ended on 13 July 1984, eliminating approximately 800 jobs. After manufacturing ceased, Henry Ford & Son became principally the sales division for Ford Ireland. The former plant site was partly used for distribution and later for commercial, storage and other purposes. Ford's Irish legacy also survived through locally distinctive vehicles, including special Cortina editions, and through the company's long association with Cork civic life. The company continued to represent Ford's Irish market presence even though the historic Cork factory no longer produced vehicles.

• 1984

  Cork plant closes

  [1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  The assembly plant ended production on 13 July after Ford announced that its scale and location were no longer viable.

• 1973

  Ireland joins the EEC

  [1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  European integration began to undermine the tariff-avoidance rationale behind local vehicle assembly in Ireland.

• 1967

  Modernized Marina plant opens

  [1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  Ford formally opened a substantially rebuilt and re-equipped Cork assembly plant on 11 October.

• 1946

  Post-war vehicle assembly resumes

  [1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  Vehicle production restarted in February after the wartime interruption.

• 1929

  Tractor production resumes

  [1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  The Cork plant restarted tractor manufacturing, briefly serving as Ford's only tractor factory worldwide before the activity moved to Dagenham.

• 1922

  Tractor production ends

  [1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  After 7,605 tractors, Cork tractor production ended as post-independence customs conditions made the operation uneconomical.

• 1919

  Fordson tractor production begins

  [1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  The first Cork-built tractor left the production line on 3 July, beginning the plant's manufacturing history.

• 1917

  Company founded in Cork

  [1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  Henry Ford established Henry Ford & Son in Cork on 17 April, creating Ford's first purpose-built factory outside the United States.

A Ford Motor Company operating and sales presence in Ireland, combining historic local manufacturing heritage with passenger-car, commercial-vehicle and distribution activities.

• Agricultural machinery · 1919

  Fordson tractors

  Fordson tractors were the Cork plant's first major product. Production began in 1919 and served Irish, British and export markets. The factory produced 7,605 tractors before the initial manufacturing programme ended in December 1922. Tractor production briefly returned in 1929, but later moved to Dagenham as customs and economic conditions changed.

• Passenger cars and components · 1920

  Ford Model T components and vehicles

  Cork supplied Ford's European operations with cast-iron parts, engines and rear axles associated with Model T production. The plant also assembled or contributed to more than 10,000 Model T-related vehicles in Ireland before European Model T production ended in 1927.

• Passenger car

  Ford Cortina

  The Cortina was among the best-known vehicles assembled at Cork. Irish-market special editions included the Corrib, Cashel and Tara, which used distinctive trim, badging and equipment combinations developed for the local market.

• Passenger car

  Ford Escort

  The Escort formed part of the broad Ford passenger-car range assembled at Cork during the plant's post-war expansion and helped support Ford's strong position in the Irish market.

• Commercial vehicle

  Ford Transit

  The Transit was one of the principal commercial vehicles associated with the Cork assembly operation. Its presence reflected Ford's particularly strong share of Ireland's commercial-vehicle market during the post-war decades.

• Passenger car · 1982

  Ford Sierra

  Ford invested in the Cork plant in 1982 in an effort to support Sierra assembly and preserve the facility's future. The investment did not resolve the plant's scale and location disadvantages, and the factory closed in 1984.

• 1984

  Close Cork vehicle assemblyStrategy

  Background

  Ford of Europe concluded that the plant's output scale and geographic position made continued vehicle manufacturing uneconomical.

  Action taken

  Ford announced closure on 17 January and ended production on 13 July.

  Aftermath

  Approximately 800 jobs were lost, while Henry Ford & Son continued as Ford's Irish sales and distribution operation.

  Source

• 1982

  Invest to support Sierra assemblyStrategy

  Background

  The Cork plant faced rising losses and structural disadvantages after European economic integration reduced the value of tariff-protected local assembly.

  Action taken

  Ford spent approximately IR£10 million upgrading the plant for Sierra assembly.

  Aftermath

  The upgrade did not make the facility financially viable, and Ford announced its closure in January 1984.

  Plant upgrade investment. IR£10 million (1982)

  Source

• 1965

  Modernize and expand the Cork plantStrategy

  Background

  Management argued that substantial investment was needed to bring Cork vehicle production up to contemporary European standards.

  Action taken

  Ford Europe approved a major rebuilding and re-equipment programme, including new assembly facilities, body finishing and parts storage.

  Aftermath

  The enlarged plant opened in 1967 and employed approximately 1,000 people at its peak described in the reference material.

  Capital investment. IR£2 million (1960s)

  Source

• 1922

  End Cork tractor manufacturingStrategy

  Background

  Customs charges introduced after the creation of the Irish Free State made deliveries from Cork less competitive, while the plant's manufacturing resources could serve other Ford operations.

  Action taken

  Henry Ford & Son stopped tractor production after 7,605 units and transferred the tractor-production equipment to Dearborn.

  Aftermath

  Cork shifted toward engines, axles, castings and vehicle assembly for Ford's European network.

  Source

• 1984

  Ford announces closure of Cork assembly plant[1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Ford of Europe announced that the Cork plant would close because its scale and location were no longer financially viable.

• 1984

  Cork vehicle assembly ends[1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Cork factory completed its final production on 13 July, ending nearly seventy years of Ford manufacturing activity at the Marina site.

• 1967

  Ford opens modernized Cork plant[1]Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A major redevelopment and modernization of the Cork assembly facility was formally opened at a ceremony attended by Taoiseach Jack Lynch.

1. 1Henry Ford & Son Ltd.en.wikipedia.org