On Dec. 13, the Ford Motor Co. promoted 40-year-old Joe Hinrichs to a new position which puts in him charge of global manufacturing. According to an AP report this appointment is part of an effort to pick up the the pace of Ford's globalization efforts.
Hinrich's new title will be group vice president of global manufacturing and he will take office on January 1st. He will be charged with integrating Ford's 104 factories across the globe.
Hinrich became the the youngest vice president at Ford Motor Co. in 2005. Hinrichs, who has an electrical engineering degree from the University of Dayton and an MBA from Harvard University, was at age 29 General Motor's youngest plant manager. According to a report in the Detroit Free Press, he was so successful at GM that "nation's top business schools still study how he performed in that post."
While at Ford, Hinrichs oversaw a massive transition in Ford's manufacturing operations, as part of Ford's Way Forward plan. He also played a key role in negotiating a 4-year labor contract with the UAW.
