Charles Sorensen

Charles Sorensen (1881-1968), a Danish immigrant, joined the Ford Motor Company in 1904 as a pattern maker and foundryman. He was instrumental in the development of the moving assembly line, the Model T, the 1928 Model A, and the innovative foundry work that resulted in the casting of the 1932 V-8 engine and crankcase in a single piece. He was in charge of all Ford production from 1925 to 1944. He opposed Harry Bennett’s influence on Henry Ford in relation to Edsel Ford, but he agreed with their opposition to unionization. He became a vice-president and board member in 1941. His inability to reach expected airplane production at the Willow Run plant west of Detroit during World War II ended his tenure at Ford in 1944.

Images from the Collections of The Henry Ford. 1) P.O.1046

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