Ford was launched in a converted factory in 1903 with $28,000 in cash from twelve investors, most notably John and Horace Dodge (who would later found their own car company).

During its early years, the company produced just a few cars a day at its factory on Mack Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Groups of two or three men worked on each car from components made to order by other companies. Henry Ford was 40 years old when he founded the Ford Motor Company, which would go on to become one of the world's largest and most profitable companies, as well as being one to survive the Great Depression.

As one of the largest family-controlled companies in the world, the Ford Motor Company has been in continuous family control for over 100 years.

Ford in Britain today

Employing around 13,000 at seven locations, Ford Motor Company Ltd has been British car market leader for over 30 consecutive years.

The Southampton-built Ford Transit, engineered at Ford's UK product development HQ in Essex, has led the commercial vehicle sector for 43 successive years.

Ford's Dunton product development centre, near Basildon, also works on future power trains (engines/transmissions), which are produced at the company's Dagenham and Bridgend plants.

The Ford Focus has been the UK's top selling car every year since launched in 1998. Joining Focus in the country's top three favourite cars is the Ford Fiesta.

In their own words, their vision, mission and their values:

OUR VISION --- To become the worlds leading company for automotive products and services

OUR MISSION --- We are a global, diverse family with a proud heritage, passionately committed to providing outstanding products and services

OUR VALUES --- We do the right thing for our people, our environment and our society, but above all for our customers