For well over a century, the Ford Motor Company has stood as a titan of the global automobile industry. It all began on June 16, 1903, when Henry Ford and 12 fellow investors came together in Detroit, Michigan, to put pen to paper and officially incorporate the business. To this day, the Ford Motor Company ranks among the largest and most prosperous companies on the planet.

Henry Ford, the driving force behind the company, was born in 1863 in Springwells Township, Michigan. His fascination with machines started early — he began tinkering with vehicles as a teenager, and by the late 1880s, he had developed real expertise in repairing and rebuilding engines. As an adult, he attempted several business ventures, though none panned out. What he did excel at, however, was fixing and even building automobiles for various customers. That hands-on experience laid the groundwork for what came next: in 1903, he officially launched the Ford Motor Company, which was a hit right out of the gate. Ford transformed the way transmissions worked in vehicles, and when his Model T rolled out in 1908, it set an entirely new benchmark for what an automobile could be. To this day, Henry Ford is celebrated as a trailblazer who made dependable, affordable vehicles accessible to the middle class.

Fun Facts about Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company:

  • By 1920, Henry Ford had reached billionaire status, and at his peak, his net worth was estimated to be around $200 billion. He is regarded as one of the wealthiest individuals in history.
  • Henry Ford was a trailblazer when it came to workplace practices at the Ford Motor Company. He pioneered the "moving assembly line" technique, which dramatically boosted production while cutting costs. He also introduced a five-day workweek — a revolutionary idea at the time — aimed at improving employee morale. On top of that, he offered workers a $5 daily wage, far exceeding industry standards at the time, as a strategy to attract and retain skilled talent.
  • To this day, the Ford Motor Company remains under family ownership, securing its place as one of the largest family-controlled companies in the world.
  • A true inventor at heart, Henry Ford held over 160 patents in his name.
  • Ford's F150 truck holds the title of best-selling truck in the world, and is also in the top 10 selling vehicles of all time.