Ford and Bilstein have long enjoyed a cozy relationship, with the former utilizing the latter’s components in a variety of offerings including the Ford Bronco Sasquatch Package, the brand new Ford Ranger Wildtrak X, the Ford Performance two-inch lift kit for the Bronco, and the 2021+ Ford F-150 off-road suspension leveling kit, to name just a few. Now, Bilstein has been recognized by Ford with its prestigious Q1 certification, which is handed out to the best of that particular group, according to the Journal-News.
Ford Q1 certifications are only given out to 100 of the automaker’s 1,400 or so Tier 1 suppliers, companies that overachieve in terms of quality and service. It’s the highest honor a Ford supplier can receive, and according to Bilstein CEO Drew Guthridge, “the achievement reflects on the company’s collective effort and dedication to high-quality production.”
“A very select group of Ford suppliers are given this award, this certification,” Guthridge said. “And for us, it means the continuation of our excellent business we’ve done with Ford in the past few years.” “We come in every day, and we get our hands dirty,” added Angela Suttles, a line lead at Bilstein. “We have a lot of frustration, but this means that we’ve worked hard for this.”
“There’s this magical quality that I’ve seen in many of you where you have this empowerment to do your best,” Josie Fahr, an STA engineer for Ford, told the crowd of hundreds of workers that showed up for the award ceremony at Bilstein’s plant in Hamilton, Ohio. “I see a lot of faces who have been here for the past three years where I have been visiting your plant, watching you grow, watching you improve, and it’s very impressive.”
We’ll have more on Ford’s supplier network soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for ongoing Ford news coverage.
No Comments yet