Ron the Yarn Spinner

 

Industrial Ecology

“If it doesn’t add value, it’s a waste.” Henry Ford

 I watched as a mechanic (Mike) worked on the car; it was not mine although I wished it was. He was one of only two auto technicians certified to service the vehicle at this Ford dealership. Was I yearning to conquer the streets and track with a 2025 Mustang GTD with a supercharged 5,2 L V-8 power plant? No.  (I am more a ’57 Chevy Bel Air guy) The car I was admiring was a well-cared-for and somewhat older  Ford model – about 100 years older in fact - a 1925 Ford Model T.

“You know the Model T engines were shipped to the assembly plant in a wooden crate,” Mike explained. “….and there was just enough wood from the crate to make the floorboards.” ( More knowledge for Trivia Night.) This practice was part of Henry Ford’s  effort to improve efficiency and reduce waste in his manufacturing process. The Model T, produced from 1908 to 1927, was notable for its affordability, durability, and innovative manufacturing techniques, including the use of recycled materials. Ford's use of crating wood for floorboards is a well-known example of his commitment to resourcefulness and sustainability. Here’s another one that let’s just say, is closer to home.

 The Model T sported wooden wheels and there was a substantial amount of wood shavings from the manufacturing process. Ford hated waste. He used some of the wood scraps to produce steam for his factory operations. The rest was carbonized and compressed into charcoal. Workers mixed charred hardwood chips with starch, forming nearly 100 tons of charcoal briquettes each day. Ford Dealers sold branded barbecue  bags of the popular briquettes in their showrooms across the country. Some  gave you a bag when you bought one of their automobiles. This initiative was again part of Ford's efforts to minimize waste and find innovative uses for by-products from his manufacturing processes. But wait……Ford was paying workers $5 per day and offering a 40 hour work week so he figured the “Average Joe” could afford to buy a car (A Ford of course) and with his new-found leisure time, even take his family on a picnic. With charcoal grilling becoming more and more popular, he decided to manufacture a line of portable charcoal grills. Ford dealers carried three models ranging in  price from $1 to $3 and you had your choice of color – as long as it was black.

Ford’s  charcoal plant was located in a small village in Michigan’s UP that eventually grew into a city in 1947 when it was named after Ford’s hunting partner,  a well-respected businessman and an “in law” who took great satisfaction helping the village grow and prosper. Although Edward Kingsford did not manufacture the briquettes or own any part of the business, he became the man behind the name. The  Kingsford Brand is still well-known today, and it traces its origins back to Henry Ford's vision of creating a more sustainable manufacturing process by repurposing waste materials. The Clorox Company now owns the Kingsford Brand.

Many of the ideas and practices of industrial ecology are not new. Nowhere was this plainer than in the extensive waste reduction and recycling programs implemented by Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company during the 1920s and 1930s. Perhaps the most noteworthy was a Ford automobile disassembly line for end-of-life vehicles.