Ford’s Best Factories Aren’t in the U.S., CEO Admits

Ford Motor Company has spent years trying to shake a reputation for recalls and quality issues. But according to CEO Jim Farley, some of the automaker’s best manufacturing work is happening outside the United States. Farley told reporters that Ford plants in Mexico and China, which build models like the Maverick and Bronco Sport, consistently set the quality standard for the entire company.

He said those facilities are better at sticking to production processes and solving problems on the factory floor than their American counterparts.

Farley noted that different workplace cultures play a big role in quality outcomes. He described the Mexico and China plants as “the most compliant with process” and said they have “the deepest problem-solving skill” in Ford’s global network. S. factories are failing. Farley acknowledged that American plants represented by the UAW have improved quickly.

D. Power Initial Quality Study, after years near the bottom, reflects a four-year push to overhaul manufacturing culture. Still, the company continues to issue recalls, a reminder that the work isn’t finished.

-built imports may arrive with paint or panel fit issues. Ford sees technology as part of the solution. Workers in Mexico and China are embracing AI tools more eagerly than those in North America, Farley said. But he stressed that software alone won’t fix everything. “There’s no substitute” for skilled workers, he added, explaining that lasting quality still depends on experienced people catching problems before customers do.