Henry Ford
Awards & Honours
3
Awards Won
3
Honours
1
Rankings
3
Covers
2
Records
Henry Ford's impact on industry and society is measured by the scale of his innovations. The Model T, with over 15 million units sold, put America on wheels and created a middle-class market for automobiles. His moving assembly line cut production time for a chassis from 12.5 hours to 93 minutes, a feat that redefined manufacturing worldwide. The $5-per-day wage and five-day workweek set new labor standards that rippled across industries. In 1999, Fortune named Ford the Businessman of the 20th Century, a recognition of his role in shaping modern capitalism. The Ford Foundation, which received most of his fortune, remains a leading philanthropic institution. Yet his legacy is also marked by his antisemitic writings, a contradiction that continues to provoke debate about the man behind the machines.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
U.S. Postage Stamp – Prominent Americans Series
Featured on a stamp alongside a Model T.
Honorary Degree
Honorary Doctor of Engineering.
Honorary Degree
Honorary Doctor of Laws.
Rankings & Lists
Businessman of the Century
Magazine Covers
Time
1925-01-12
Henry Ford
Time
1930-03-10
Henry Ford
Fortune
1999-11-01
Businessman of the Century
Records & Feats
First to implement the moving assembly line for large-scale manufacturing
Introduced at the Highland Park plant in 1913, reducing chassis assembly time from 12.5 man-hours to 93 man-minutes by 1914.
Longest-selling automobile model (Model T) until surpassed by Volkswagen Beetle
The Model T was produced from 1908 to 1927, with over 15 million units sold, a record for a single model at the time.