On August 20, employees at MacLean-Fogg’s Plymouth, Michigan facility, known as “Master,” gathered with leaders from Ford Motor Company and MacLean-Fogg to celebrate a significant achievement: Ford Q1 certification.
The event recognized two major accomplishments for the Plymouth operation. Master West successfully regained Ford Q1 certification, while Master East earned the designation for the first time. Together, the achievement marks an important milestone not only for the facility, but for the entire organization.
With Master East and West now certified, all 11 MacLean-Fogg facilities supplying Ford have achieved Ford Q1 certification, underscoring the company’s commitment to quality, delivery performance, and customer satisfaction.
Recognizing a Remarkable Turnaround
Ford’s Q1 certification is one of the highest recognitions awarded to suppliers and is reserved for organizations that consistently meet stringent performance standards in quality, delivery, manufacturing excellence, and continuous improvement.
For the Master team, the recognition was the result of significant operational improvements made over the past two years.
Since 2024, the facility has dramatically improved key quality metrics. Parts per million (PPM) performance improved from approximately 300 to less than 1, while Ford Quality Reports (QRs) were reduced from 140 to just four. These results reflect a focused effort on manufacturing fundamentals, process discipline, and standardized execution across the operation.
Throughout the ceremony, Ford leaders highlighted the facility’s progress and acknowledged the dedication required not only to earn Q1 certification, but also to regain it after it has been lost.
A Celebration of Teamwork
The event brought together employees and leadership from both organizations to recognize the achievement and the teamwork behind it.
MacLean-Fogg attendees included:
- Duncan MacLean, CEO
- Brian Whiting, EVP, MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions
- Sarah Ferrett, EVP, Environmental Health & Safety
Ford representatives included:
- Cheryl Johnson, Global Director, Underbody Supply Chain
- Ryan Rohlman, Senior Manager, Body Structures Purchasing
- Syed Arif, STA Director, Underbody
- Cheryl Machovic, Senior Manager, STA
The celebration began with lunch provided by local food trucks featuring barbecue, burgers, and hot dogs, along with a vintage Ford Good Humor ice cream truck that quickly became a crowd favorite. Employees also enjoyed yard games and informal opportunities to connect with Ford leaders and colleagues from across the business.
The atmosphere throughout the event was energetic and positive, reflecting the pride employees felt in reaching the milestone and the strong relationship between MacLean-Fogg and its largest customer.
Plaque Presentation and Flag Raising
Following a facility-wide team photo, employees gathered for remarks from General Manager Gordon Boese, CEO Duncan MacLean, and Ford Senior Manager Cheryl Machovic.
A key moment of the ceremony was the presentation of the Ford Q1 awards.
Ford presented Q1 flags to:
- Jared Creach, Director of Operations, West
- Nick Morsehead, Director of Operations, East
A Q1 plaque was presented to:
- Jim Bates, Director of Quality
The ceremony concluded with the raising of the Ford Q1 flag, symbolizing the hard work, perseverance, and commitment that made the certification possible.
Looking Ahead
While the event celebrated an important achievement, leaders emphasized that maintaining Q1 certification requires the same discipline and continuous improvement that earned it.
The recognition reinforces MacLean-Fogg’s commitment to delivering exceptional performance for its customers while continuing to strengthen a culture of operational excellence.
Most importantly, the day served as a celebration of the approximately 350 Master team members whose dedication made the accomplishment possible. Their efforts not only earned certification for the Plymouth facility but also helped achieve a company-wide milestone: every MacLean-Fogg facility serving Ford now proudly holds Ford Q1 certification.
Congratulations to the entire Master team on this outstanding achievement.