By Bill Koenig,Contributor,Executive Chairman Bill
Copyright forbes
Image of Ford Motor Co.’s new headquarters, scheduled to open later this year
FORD MOTOR CO.
Ford Motor Co. said Monday its current Dearborn, Michigan, headquarters, known as the “Glass House,” will be demolished and replaced with a new HQ.
The new headquarters will be at the automaker’s product development campus in Dearborn, a short distance from the Glass House
The new complex will open in November while the Glass House will be taken down over a period of 18 months.
The Glass House opened in 1956. Over the years, it was the scene of executive intrigue at the automaker.
Executives such as Lee Iacocca, Hal Sperlich (who unsuccessfully lobbied Ford to build minivans), and one-time CEOs Donald Petersen and Jacques Nasser found out their tenures at Ford had met a premature end. Executive jobs at the Glass House called for sharp elbows.
The importance of the Glass House was reflected in 2003, the automaker’s 100th anniversary. Ford set up various displays on the headquarter grounds for visitors to browse.
The Glass House reflected 1950s architecture. It’s 12 stories high with a penthouse. The big bosses had offices on the 12th floor. It was a symbol of a top-down culture.
In its announcement on Monday, Ford said the new headquarters will reflect changing realities.
The “future of our industry demands a different kind of space—one that is more connected, more flexible, and built for the speed of a technology- and software-driven company,” according to a statement by Executive Chairman Bill Ford and CEO Jim Farley.
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Ford said some employees are working out of the new headquarters already. “While the majority of the facility will be complete this year, work will continue through 2027 on a final section of the site,” the statement said.
Eventually, about 4,000 people will work at the new headquarters with “a total of 14,000 employees within a 15-minute walk of the new World Headquarters building, enabling greater collaboration in practice and proximity.”
Ford, like other traditional automakers, is coping with challenges from Chinese automakers, which have cut product-development time drastically.
“We are committed to providing employees with world-class workspaces, modern technology, and the best tools to do their life’s best work—from our global offices to our manufacturing floors,” Bill Ford and Jim Farley said in the statement.
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