Ford Picks Global Automaking Chief

DETROIT (AP) -- Ford Motor Co., in an effort to speed its globalization efforts, has promoted its North American manufacturing chief to a new position in charge of making vehicles across the globe, the company said Thursday.

Joe Hinrichs, 40, will become group vice president of global manufacturing on Jan. 1, leading the integration of Ford's worldwide manufacturing operations.

The company wants to build vehicles worldwide on the same underpinnings and integrate other manufacturing operations, but has been criticized by auto industry analysts for moving too slowly.

Hinrichs is credited by Chief Executive Alan Mulally with leading the restructuring of Ford's North American factory operations, and he was a key negotiator in Ford's recently completed talks with the United Auto Workers.

"In his new role, Joe will focus on delivering a global manufacturing plan that allows us to improve our efficiency while leveraging our scale worldwide," Mulally said in a statement.

Hinrichs said Thursday that Ford has no timetable for globalizing its manufacturing, but it will move quickly.

"We certainly have some catching up to do, but we have very aggressive plans over the next several years on the product side, with the manufacturing side coming along with it," he said.

The company plans to take full advantage of its global scale, becoming more efficient by building cars the same way with the same factory equipment in all regions, he said.

Industry analysts have said Ford is behind in its globalization efforts and doesn't take full advantage of efficiencies from building similar models the same way worldwide.

But Hinrichs said that under Mulally, globalization has become a top priority. The company now has executives in charge of global marketing and product development who will work to bring the change, he said. In the past the company has stated a desire to globalize, but didn't put the organizational structure in place to accomplish it, he said.

"You had to have this corporate priority," Hinrichs said.