Ford Motors and India
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Ford worldwide
2022: Galhotra: global president of nonelectric automobile business
Pankaj Doval, March 4, 2022: The Times of India
New Delhi: Ford may have exited active business operations in India, but its India connect just got stronger at the global level. Strengthening the hold of India-origin professionals across corporate America, Ford announced the appointment of Punjab-born Kumar Galhotra as its global president of nonelectric automobile business, which clocks annual revenues in excess of over $100 billion.
Born in December 1965, Galhotra grew up in India before moving to the US where he completed bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan. He has served Ford for nearly 34 years.
Galhotra will be president of Ford Blue, and will be reporting to Ford’s president and CEO Jim Farley. Ford Blue will encompass the company’s internal combustion engine (ICE) products, or those running on petrol and diesel. This would give him charge of products across the various car brands that Ford runs, and in all geographies. Prior to this role, Galhotra — who joined Ford in 1988 — was president, Americas & international markets group. He has previously worked as Ford’s president for North America, and group VP for the Lincoln brand.
YEAR-WISE DEVELOPMENTS
1995
Enters India
Sales: 2010-15
See graphic: Sales by Ford motors, Domestic and export, year-wise, 2010-15
2015: Exports to power Ford's India growth strategy
The Times of India, August 3, 2015
Pankaj Doval
Exports to power Ford's India growth strategy
The company is in India since around 1995 and has failed to make deeper inroads.It has been planning products that appeal both to the domestic market as well as key export countries.
US car major Ford has targeted to export over 2 lakh cars from India by 2020 as its plan focus on making the country a hub for compacts, mini sedans and small SUVs. The focus has been to export half of the cars it makes in India by 2020 -at 2.2 lakh vehicles -and sell them across Europe, Latin America and Africa.
The company expects to have a production capacity of 4.4 lakh vehicles by 2020 out of which half of the cars have to be sold overseas in markets across Europe, Africa, Middle-East and Asia-Pacific.
The sub 4-metre Aspire has been designed with a special focus on the needs of Indian customers. But it debuts in one of the most intensely-competitive segment of the market, after the compact cars. Maruti Suzuki's Dzire dominates this category with average monthly sales of around 16,000 units, and other challengers are models such as Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent and Tata Zest.
The company’s success had managed with the entry of the Figo hatchback in 2010 and the Eco Sport compact SUV in 2013.
2021: Exit
Pankaj Doval, Sep 10, 2021: The Times of India
From: Pankaj Doval, Sep 10, 2021: The Times of India
American auto giants don’t seem to get it right when it comes to making cars and motorcycles for Indians. After the exit of General Motors and Harley-Davidson, it’s now the turn of another iconic brand, Ford, to quit India. Having invested over $2.5 billion in India, and with a presence since 1995, Ford ended 2020-21 selling 48,042 units to garner a 1.8% share of the pie.
The company promised that “restructuring” of its India business — that will see its two plants in Chennai and Sanand shut down by the second quarter of next year — will not mean end of services and after-sales support for the roughly 10 lakh customers it has in the country as its 300-odd dealerships will remain open for service.
“This is a very difficult decision. No matter what we tried and investigated, all our projections show we will continue to give sub-optimal returns to shareholders and investors. There was no other option, but to restructure,” Anurag Mehrotra, MD and president of Ford India, said as he outlined a new strategy that would see the company begin import and sale of “must-have, iconic vehicles”, including Mustang coupe.
Ford said it took the decision after considering several options, including partnerships, platform sharing, contract manufacturing with others and the possibility of selling its manufacturing plants, which is still under consideration. “Despite these efforts, we have not been able to find a sustainable path forward to long-term profitability that includes in-country vehicle manufacturing,” he said.
2022: Signs of return through EVs
Ford showed Signs of return through planned EVs
