Ford Motor Co. is one of the largest automakers in the United States, producing millions of automobiles each year at 70 plants worldwide. According to J. D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Survey, Ford has received more top rankings than any other automaker since 2007. It’s no surprise that high quality standards have kept Ford an industry leader since 1903. And Ford knows that quality begins at a vehicle’s launch. When a cosmetic problem with the vehicle’s carpet threatened the impending launch of the 2011 Ford Fiesta, the company’s body interior Six Sigma team saw a clear opportunity for quality improvement through proven optimization methods. In its quest to maintain high customer satisfaction and performance, the team used Minitab Statistical Software to help eliminate the carpet defect and achieve a successful launch.

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