Long Term Impact And Legacy
The impact of the moving assembly line was and is—simply put—enormous. The effects were seen immediately and they are still seen today. Production times dropped, automobiles were much more affordable and no longer available to only the upper class, and virtually every factory adopted Ford’s ingenious idea. The moving assembly line put America at the top of the world industrially and politically. It enabled not just cheaper products, but also better quality products that were safer. Cars weren’t the only thing produced on the moving assembly line; as more and more factories utilized the moving assembly line, virtually every article was mass-produced.
Maytag was one of the first companies outside of the automotive industry that implemented the moving assembly line
"I invented the modern age."
~Henry Ford Over time, Ford's innovation has evolved to meet current demands and therefore thrived
"In terms of lasting significance, what Henry Ford and his company did at Highland Park was not just build the Model T, but the seeds for the growth of America's middle class."
~Douglas Brinkley Part of an essay written on the moving assembly line to commemorate its 75th anniversary.
"Industry took off once other companies embraced the assembly line and realized that most products can be made on it."
~socyberty.com "The Ford Motor Company led the way in revolutionizing industrial production in general and automotive production in particular."
~Russ Banham |
Amanda Ross, an employee at the Henry Ford Museum, talks about the impact and legacy of the moving assembly line in a personal interview.
"In truth, by 1900 the United States had already developed into the greatest industrialized country in the world, producing 24 percent of its manufactured goods. By 1913, that share had risen to a full third, with U.S. manufacturing output matching that of European behemoths Britain, France, and Germany combined."
~Douglas Brinkley Women working on assembling radios
"The assembly line marks the real start to the industrial revolution in America and it provided the platform for the future of American industry and financial stability.
~socyberty.com The moving assembly line helped the Allies win WWI and WWII because they were able to out-build their enemies.
"Today, the television set, radio, telephone, refrigerator, dishwasher; in fact, just about every manufactured product that the people use are available in quantities that Ford's idea made possible."
~Peter Lochbiler "In order to stay competitve, General Motors and other automakers followed suit. Henry Ford had changed the industry forever. "
~michigan.gov |