Big 3 can hold your QS9000 registration hostage!

[Helmut Jilling]

Having been in the automotive business for 26 years, I cannot agree more that Ford is the singularly worst of the Big 2.5 in their treatment of their supply base. They talk a great line about "supplier partnerships", but when it comes down to crunch time, we suppliers take the hit, get screamed at, have to jump through hoops and document our butts off, but they can miss deadlines, forget to perform tasks, and basically do nothing to help themselves, and we're to blame. My father retired from Ford after 30 years [Program Engineer] and I still don't drive a Ford!

My previous post was somewhat defensive of Ford, but I agree what Dsmith says seems to be true. I have often thought the same thing, seeing what they put their suppliers through.

Toyota is a lot more collaborative with suppliers...and their cars are better...hmmm, is there a linkage there?

 

[dsmith45]

Suppliers to the "Big 2.5"

This idiocy makes me wonder why ANYONE would ever want to make parts for Ford!!! We fought for months to keep our Q1, and all during this time ford kept demanding more and more... for a process that existed for six years without incident! If I had it to do over again, I'd go back 26 years and go into the porn industry. It would be less dishonest and less mentally debasing than being in the automotive supply chain.

 

[TedCambron]

It's obvious alright.

This is a little limited in scope. It is obvious you have had some bad experiences, and Ford certainly causes issues to its suppliers, but there are many good suppliers to Ford who are not working under the table or hiring ex-Ford people.

It is not valid to draw an analytical conclusion based on one or two data points.

What are you talking about?
I was working with the organization who's owner worked for Ford as an engineer! You wouldn't believe how easy it is to push Ford around if you're with the right people.
Did you have a bad experience that you would like to share with us?

 

[Helmut Jilling]

Unless your organization's officials have buddies in Ford you will fail as a supplier no matter what you do. ?

My comment was in reply to this part of your post. I don't have any direct issues working with Ford. My comments are based on what my auditing clients go through.

I like Ford, and GM, DC, etc. But, unless they wake up and collaborate with suppliers, they will continue to destroy their base and market share.

They tend to abuse or smoze, neither is appropriate, fair, nor will it lead to success.

 

[dsmith45]

As a long-time supplier...

Been in this industry for 26 years; some major improvements, yet some of the same stupid mistakes. Ford leads this charge, shaking down its suppliers for pennies and wasting dollars themselves. There is much benefit in building relationships with suppliers, "partnerships" was the Ford buzz word, but Ford is content to berate and beat up its supply base instead of working with them to resolve concerns. I say this from a knowledge base of five different Ford-direct supplier companies and the aforementioned quarter-century plus, not based on one or even two incidents.

 

[Nat?lia]

As we have to acomplish that...
Can anyone tell me where can I buy QS-9000 Forms Diskette- Version 4
(Usualy I by it at Carwin but they work )

 

[Jim Wynne]

As we have to acomplish that...
Can anyone tell me where can I buy QS-9000 Forms Diskette- Version 4
(Usualy I by it at Carwin but they work )

You can get a CD (not a diskette) with the current (in alignment with the 4th Edition AIAG PPAP manual) forms here.

 

[qualitytrec]

Just to add another data point to the Ford supplier eval that seems to be going on in here. I worked for a tier 2 and made checking fixtures for Ford never really had a problem with them that was not legitimately a quality or requirement issue that originated within our own organization. And even with those they were very supportive and even helpful in its resolution and investigation. Both places were fairly small and neither had an ex Ford employee. And we were not Q1. QS and TS are automotive standards put in place by groups of auto manufactures it has always made sense to me that they could and would remove our QS status back when we had it. Neither of those companies are QS anymore but are now ISO. If you do not meet CA requirements from the customer it could still hold up your ISO cert. Not a huge issue in my mind. Sorry.

 

[ralphsulser]

As we have to acomplish that...
Can anyone tell me where can I buy QS-9000 Forms Diskette- Version 4
(Usualy I by it at Carwin but they work )

I am curious why you are working on QS9000 when it dies and is no longer acceptable in 3 months. I would thinkyou would be going directly to ISO/TS16949:2002.

 

[qualitytrec]

Ralph,
Sorry this post is an old one I read as a result of a search. I just thought that the indignation at having Ford hold the cert was interesting and added my experience to the Ford ragfest that I saw there. I thought Ford was good to work with (I just do not like their vehicles).