| Ford Motor Co. will delay the scheduled delivery of the | | | | auto parts supplying companies. Ford's decision in |
| new Edge. According to Ford officials, it intends to iron | | | | delaying delivery was supported by auto analysts. |
| out manufacturing problem in its Oakville plant, where | | | | "The delay is the correct decision for Ford because |
| said model together with the Lincoln MKX crossover is | | | | quality is so important in today's competitive auto |
| assembled.It can be recollected that Ford announced | | | | market," said Kevin Reale, research director for |
| the delivery of Edge to dealerships this month. Since | | | | Boston-based AMR Research."For them to be able to |
| the derailment occurred, it is now expected to be | | | | detect this is good. If there's quality issues associated |
| delivered in the month of December this year. "Several | | | | with either their current assembly process or parts, it's |
| thousand of the vehicles have been built and all meet | | | | better for them to have the detection in the |
| Ford's quality standards, but Ford wants to make sure | | | | manufacturing process than have the detection occur |
| all of its manufacturing processes are working | | | | out in the field," Reale further noted.Catherine Madden, |
| correctly before delivering the vehicles," said Joseph R. | | | | auto industry analyst at the consulting company Global |
| Hinrichs, vice president of North American | | | | Insight Inc. said, "Ford clearly has a quality problem at |
| manufacturing.Hinrichs added, "The product's ready. | | | | the plant; fixing it has to be balanced against getting the |
| We want to make sure that our process is equally | | | | product to dealers when every sales day counts. I |
| ready to deliver, on a consistent basis, the quality and | | | | think it is prudent to meet those quality standards. Ford |
| the timeliness of the deliveries that our dealers and our | | | | is under such a microscope now."Joe Ratzkin is an |
| customers expect."According to Hinrichs, Ford has to | | | | avid fan of anything automotive. This 34-year old |
| do some critical check points on the assembly line | | | | bachelor wanted to be a mechanic when he was a |
| work stations to ensure the quality of Ford car parts | | | | kid but changed his mind and became a freelance |
| used in Edge. "We're not yet to the level where the | | | | writer and researcher instead. He is currently based in |
| consistency is where we want it to be to launch the | | | | Chicago, Illinois. You can visit Ford car parts for more |
| vehicles," he added.It was also divulged that the | | | | information. |
| automaker experienced inventory shortages from | | | | |