What Ford Taught Me About Fixing America's Supply Chain

Forbes

3 days ago

By Dave Evans, Co-Founder and CEO, Fictiv
CAD design
I learned the complexities of manufacturing firsthand during my time at Ford. When I joined the Silicon Valley lab—a research center focused on advancing automotive technology—as its first hire, I thought I'd be helping revolutionize how cars are built. I'd come from startups where speed was everything.
I remember my shock the first time someone at Ford explained that developing a new vehicle platform takes four to six years. My gut reaction was: Six years? Why does this take so long?
Years later, I left with the opposite feeling: How is it even possible to build a car in only six years?
The truth is, automotive supply chains are a web of suppliers, sub-suppliers, regulators, safety standards, legacy systems, and global logistics complexity. They're marvels of coordination, but are often held back by processes that haven't fundamentally changed in decades.
That gap is exactly why digital manufacturing is more crucial than ever. In software, new code can ship in hours, but in hardware, producing a single part often takes eight to twelve weeks or longer. Digital manufacturing solves this by streamlining and simplifying processes like quoting and sourcing, enabling rapid prototyping through on-demand production networks, and minimizing the number of feedback loops and handoffs between engineering, sourcing, and manufacturing teams—all of which help shorten iterative cycles and reduce the time from design to finished parts.
If we want to see the future—self-driving cars, life-saving medical devices, and Mars rockets—we have to close that gap. We have to build hardware at the speed of software. To do that, we need to turn manufacturing from a bottleneck into a competitive advantage.
The Reshoring Surge: Bringing Production Back Home
Supply chain management ensures efficient operations.
Now more than ever, speed to market matters. Renewed investment in U.S. manufacturing helps companies produce parts faster, closer to home, and with greater agility. A big part of the manufacturing comeback in the U.S. is happening in the automotive industry.
General Motors recently announced a $4 billion commitment to U.S. production. Other manufacturers are making similar bets, driven by new realities in global trade, consumer demand for local production, and the need for resilient supply chains. GM isn't alone. In fact 68% of manufacturing leaders say reshoring is a critical component of their supply chain strategy. It's also happening in industries like robotics, medtech, and cleantech. Companies like Form Energy are transforming local economies and bringing factories back to life.
If we want reshoring to stick, however, we can't just rebuild factories the old way. We have to modernize how manufacturing operates and build supply chains that can withstand an increasingly turbulent trade environment. That's where digital manufacturing comes in.
How Strategic Sourcing Went Digital
Technician programs and monitors automated manufacturing equipment using a laptop, working in the ... More field of industrial automation and electronics production.
Traditionally, if you wanted to source a commodity like sheet metal enclosures, you'd hire a global supply manager (GSM). That GSM would:
That process is thorough—but time-consuming and expensive. It can take months (or years).
In a distributed, digital model, you can plug into a global supply chain where suppliers are pre-vetted, onboarded, and price-competitive. Instead of reinventing the wheel every time, you access a Fortune 500-level supply chain on demand.
This model saves time, reduces risk, and frees up companies to focus on innovation rather than logistics.
Digital Factories and Smart Manufacturing
Smart industry robot arms for digital factory production technology showing automation manufacturing ... More process of the Industry 4.0 or 4th industrial revolution and IOT software to control operation .
The future isn't just about physical parts. It's about digital twins, real-time factory data, and predictive maintenance. Companies like GE, Deloitte, Toyota, and Stanley Black & Decker have built what the World Economic Forum calls 'lighthouse factories'—facilities that use Industry 4.0 tools to operate smarter and faster.
Sharing these stories can inspire others and accelerate the adoption of new technologies.
Sustainability: The Other Reshoring Driver
Beyond geopolitics and technology, sustainability is becoming a critical driver for reshoring and distributed manufacturing.
Consumers care more than ever about where their products come from and their environmental impact. One of my favorite examples of companies making a difference is Purcell, which makes bulk food dispensers to reduce plastic food waste in the oceans. Their sustainable food solutions are making their way into large grocery chains.
The intersection of sustainability and advanced manufacturing is where I believe some of the biggest innovations of the next decade will emerge.
The Role of AI in Manufacturing
female automation machine engineer student study and inspection control robot arm machine in ... More university or factory workshop. AI robot technology are new innovation trean for manufacturing in industry 5.0
Finally, let's talk about AI. We're on the brink of an AI-driven revolution in manufacturing.
Tools like Materials.AI help engineers choose the best materials for a given application. In the past, I'd have called up Randy, the 30-year resin expert at Ford, to ask about plastic choices for an infotainment system. Experts like Randy are invaluable. But not every company has a Randy. AI can democratize that expertise.
AI also powers our DFM (Design for Manufacturability) feedback, analyzing parts for manufacturability and catching issues early to avoid redesigns later on.
AI won't replace skilled people—it will support them by taking care of repetitive, time-consuming tasks. That means engineers can spend less time chasing quotes and more time solving tough design challenges and bringing great products to life.
A New Industrial Revolution
As I reflect on the past decade, I believe we're at the dawn of the next industrial revolution.
Manufacturing today goes far beyond production. It's about:
Whether you're GM investing billions in U.S. plants, a robotics startup launching a new product, or a mid-sized manufacturer wrestling with tariffs, the questions are the same: How do we build faster? Smarter? And with more resilience?
The answer lies in embracing new ways of working, from digital supply chains to distributed manufacturing networks. It's about shifting from reactive to proactive—turning manufacturing into a competitive advantage rather than a bottleneck.
It's a future I'm incredibly excited to help build.