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One of the most technologically advanced plants of its time is the Rouge River plant, which has always represented the innovation of its founder, Henry Ford. He was never able to see his entire vision completed in his lifetime, but it has been carried out by his successors in new ways. The idea of the Rouge plant was to be a self-sufficient plant where a vehicle was manufactured from raw materials to the completed project. In order to accomplish this, there had to be quarries, iron and coalmines, forests, rubber, a glassworks, and a railroad all on the property. It also required electricity, so a power plant was later added. This greatly reduced costs and made the plant more efficient, thus the birth of the assembly line where the Model A was mass-produced in 1927. This helped make these vehicles more affordable to more people. By making cars more affordable Ford was also able to make the lives of its workers easier by offering them more money per day and less hours per week, thus expanding the middle class. This made the growing automaker a place where jobs were sought from workers around the world. This did not come, however, without struggles and the formation of the labor union to protect worker's rights. After the company founder died, his grandson had to make changes due to the changing economy as well as a newfound concern for the environment. These include changes in emissions, air, and water standards that new cars had to meet. This reduced the amount of things that the Rouge plant was able to do, so suppliers from outside had to be found, which resulted in a decrease of jobs. By 1992, only one vehicle was being made at the Rouge plant, the Mustang. The present owner, Bill Ford, had a new grand vision for the plant as it enters a new area of vehicle manufacturing. He sees that the depletion of natural resources is a serious concern all over the world and has been working to prove that you can operate a manufacturing plant and care for the environment at the same time and still cut costs. The Rouge plant is now the sole manufacturing plant of all models of the F-150 pick-up truck and uses only the necessary parts, reducing the waste. Mr. Ford helped oversee the design of the skylights and having sedum planted on the roof. These factors help reduce the amount of heat in the building making it about 10 degrees cooler, making it a more pleasant environment for the workers. This also helps manage storm water and the amount of energy being used. Now the company is experimenting with various types of alternative fuels. This willingness to change with the changing times will give the company a strong future and a legacy to the man who started it all. Learn more about the new innovations happening at Ford Reading, PA by visiting Tom Masano Ford Lincoln. For more information, visit: http://tommasanoford.com.
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