Who Owns Ford? Who Makes Ford? Where Are Fords Made?

With so many car brands in the U.S. market today, one would be confused about who the real owners of those brands are. Are you sure that that car brand makes the car you are buying? With regards to Ford cars, do you know who owns Ford? Who makes Ford? Where are Fords made?

One of Ford Motor Company’s owners is William Clay Ford, Jr. He is the company’s executive chair and has been occupying this position since January 1999. Henry Ford founded the company in the early 1900s. Today, its headquarters is located in Dearborn, Michigan, USA.

Most Ford vehicles sold in North America are made in the United States. There are other Ford car plants in other countries like Canada and Mexico. Some Ford car parts are also made in China, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Read on to learn more about the owners of Ford and the locations of the car plants where they are being manufactured.

Who Owns Ford? Who Makes Ford? Where Are Fords Made?

Who Owns Ford

Currently, there are several owners of Ford Motor Company. One of the principal owners is William Clay Ford, Jr. He joined its board of directors in 1998 and rose to its chairmanship in January 1999.

It was Henry Ford who founded this company in the early 1900s. He was the great grandfather of the company’s current chairman, William Clay Ford, Jr. Henry Ford called the first automobile he built the quadricycle. It became the prototype of all cars powered by gasoline.

The company makes most of the cars sold in North America in Ford car plants in the United States. But there are other Ford plants in other countries like Canada, China, and Mexico.

Who Really Owns Ford Motor Company?

Majority Owners

Several personalities and entities own Ford Motor Company, with William Clay Ford, Jr. as its principal owners. Other majority owners of the company include:

  • The Ford Family (2% equity),
  • Evercore Wealth Management, and
  • Vanguard Group.

The Ford Family owns a small part of the company in terms of shares, but they still retain most of the voting power, 40% across the board.

Major Shareholders

The three major shareholders of Ford Motor Company are:

  • William Ford: 6.8 million shares
  • Mark Fields: 1.8 million shares
  • Joseph Hinrichs: 645,155 shares

That means there is no other corporation that owns Ford. Only shareholders own the entire company. They are the collective owners of the company. So, those who own the most shares are considered the company’s owners.

Let’s get to know the people who own the most shares in Ford:

William Clay Ford, Jr.

William, or Bill as friends and family call him, is the great-grandson of Henry Ford, the company’s founder. He currently functions as the Executive Chairman of the company. Records show that since March 2018, Bill has owned and controlled 6.8 million shares of Ford.

Mark Field

Mark Field had been working with the company for 28 years before he took over the position of Ford Motor Company CEO in 2017.

Records show that since the company’s SEC filing in March 2017, Mark has been holding 1.78 million shares of the common stock of Ford. This makes him the second-largest shareholder of the company.

Joseph R. Hinrichs

Joe has been working as Ford’s Executive Vice President since June 1, 2017. He is also the company’s President for Global Operations. Joe is the third-largest owner of Ford Motor Company because he owns 645,155 company shares.

So, unlike before, the Ford Family does not solely own Ford. The company has enjoyed continued success despite setbacks here and there through the years. Since its birth, the family that originally owned the company still has the most voting rights.

That means they still have a significant influence on all majority decisions affecting the present and future of the company. The Ford Family is still making sure that despite the rapid technological developments in the industry, a certain degree of American innovation is retained by the company.

Who Really Makes Ford Branded Vehicles?

Generally, Ford vehicles are still an American brand of automobiles. Since its founding by Henry Ford in 1903, the brand has expanded internationally. It retains its headquarters on American soil, particularly in Dearborn, Michigan.

The company has grown to be a far-reaching multinational auto corporation with car manufacturing facilities worldwide, including joint ventures with different car companies. While Ford remains an American automobile brand, many car parts are not made exclusively in the United States. 

Ford also manufactures automobiles in other countries. There are Ford plants in China, Mexico, and Canada. In the Automotive Industry 2020 world rankings issued by Brandirectory, Ford has ranked the 7th most popular car brand with estimated sales of around $18.5 million.

Where Are Fords Made?

who owns ford company

Almost all Ford automobiles sold in the United States are made in the country. However, two Ford models are not manufactured in the U.S. The Ford Fusion midsize sedan and the Ford Edge midsize SUV are made outside of the country.

Ford Facilities in the United States

Here are the places in the United States where Ford automobiles are manufactured:

  • Avon Lake, OH Ford car plant makes Ford E-Series vehicles
  • Chicago, IL Ford car plant makes Ford Explorer vehicles
  • Flat Rock, MI Ford plant makes Ford Mustang vehicles
  • Louisville, KY Ford plant makes Ford Escape, Ford Expedition, and Ford Super Duty vehicles
  • Kansas City, MO Ford plant makes Ford F-150, and Ford Transit vehicles
  • Wayne, MI Ford plant makes Ford Ranger, and Ford Bronco vehicles

Ford Facilities Abroad

Here are the countries that manufacture other Ford automobiles:

  • Ontario, Canada Ford plant makes Ford Edge vehicles
  • Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico Ford plant makes 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles
  • Hermosillo, Mexico Ford plant makes Ford Fusion vehicles 
  • Jiangling Motors in Nanjing China makes Ford Territory, Ford Everest, and Ford Ecosport vehicles

Of course, there is a control center where the seat of its global operations is organized and coordinated. It is located at the Henry Ford II World Center in Dearborn, Michigan.

All in all, Ford Motor Company maintains 65 plants worldwide. Eight of these are located in the United States. Ford has six huge car manufacturing facilities in China. Aside from that, the company has several joint ventures in:

  • China,
  • Thailand,
  • Russia,
  • Taiwan, and
  • Turkey.

In the United States, Ford manufactures its huge trucks and car models with big engines. It also produces its luxury line, Lincoln, and its police interceptors.

Again, who owns Ford? William Clay Ford Jr., Mark Field, and Joseph R. Hinrichs own most of the Ford Motor Company’s shares.

Some Parts of Ford Are Not Made In America

While Ford remains foremost as an American car brand, most parts are from other countries abroad. Car plants in China, Canada, and Mexico produce their parts.

Some believe that most car parts that go into Ford vehicles are made abroad. Although Ford has 65 car manufacturing facilities worldwide, many are shared with these countries’ local car brands.

Having a shared platform makes it easier and more convenient for Ford and these foreign car companies to assemble different car parts for different brands at the same car manufacturing plant.

Brief History of Ford Motor Company

who owns ford today

Founder

Henry Ford and other investors founded the Ford Motor Company in 1903. Henry incorporated the company in 1919 together with his wife, Clara, and his son, Edsel. With its incorporation, the Ford Family acquired full ownership of the company.

Ford Foundation

They were the sole owners of Ford Motor Company when they formed the Ford Foundation in 1936. When the Ford Family offered their common stock to the public in January 1956, they were still the sole stockholders of the company.

First Car Plant

Henry Ford opened the company’s first car plant in 1911 in Kansas City, MO. It was the first in the car industry at that time. Then, Ford introduced the first assembly line for cars, the first in the world, in 1913.

Ford Acquired Around 58.5% of Company Stocks

Henry Ford acquired around 58.5% of company stocks as early as 1906. This was when other stockholders disagreed with Ford’s plan of constructing the giant River Rouge plant in Dearborn. The other stockholders thought that it was costly. So, Ford bought them all out.

Ford Motor Company Diversified Their company

Fast forward to the 50s and the 60s, Ford Motor Company diversified their company. The company bought Philco, an electronics company, in 1961. However, it refocused its attention on car manufacturing in the 1990s. It, however, also dabbled in financial services.

Ford Bought Jaguar in 1990

And then Ford bought Jaguar in 1990, and it also acquired Aston Martin in 1993 as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Ford Motor Company also acquired Hertz Corporation, a rental car company, in 1994. Other acquisitions included Volvo in 1999 and Land Rover in 2000.

Bought a Significant Share of Mazda Motor Corporation

Later on, the company also bought a significant share of an established Japanese car manufacturer, the Mazda Motor Corporation. However, early in the millennium, the company struggled financially and had to sell some of its acquired brands.

It sold Hertz in 2005 and then sold Aston Martin two years later. In 2008, Ford also sold Land Rover and Jaguar to Tata Motors, Ltd. of India. The company started selling its shares on Mazda in 2008. Ford completely divested its shares in Mazda in 2015.

Still Active in Car Manufacturing Industry

The Ford Motor Company is still very active in the car manufacturing industry and is still one of the big carmakers in the United States. It still produces affordable and good-quality cars for North America and worldwide.

Conclusion: Who Owns Ford? Who Makes Ford? Where Are Fords Made?

Today, there are several owners of Ford Motor Company. One of the principal owners of Ford is William Clay Ford, Jr. He joined the company’s board of directors in 1998. One year later, in January 1999, he rose to the position of Chairman of the Board.

Ford exclusively manufactures almost all of the Ford vehicles sold in North America. Other Ford car plants in Canada, China, and Mexico cater to their home markets. Other Ford plants also exist in many countries worldwide producing Ford car parts.