Ford ISO 9000 first-tier supplier mandate

In the early 1990s Ford required all first-tier worldwide suppliers to be ISO 9000 certified as a condition of purchase, with no exceptions. Tom presents this as the watershed moment that forced American manufacturing to scramble for ISO 9000 certification and as a demonstration that ISO won this round of the ISO-vs-ANSI competition. Boeing later adopted similar requirements.

One of the first things ISO came up with was ISO 9000. It was a big hit. Anybody know what ISO 9000 is? In the early '90s, Ford Motor Company came up with — for their world suppliers — if you were not ISO 9000 certified, Ford would not purchase from you, period, no exceptions, to their first-tier suppliers. Second tier, they wanted you to be ISO 9000, but they couldn't control it, because they were really only controlling the first-tier suppliers.

Student: I think it's broader than just materials. I think it's processes and procedures.