| Ford Component Manufacturing Ltd has come a long way: | |
| 1910 - Robert Ford, the founder set up "Ford & Co", with a staff of three people to manufacture corrugated steam joints or "Taylor's Rings" as they where known. |  |
| 1914 - Ford's output was primarily utilized to support steam as a major source of power in pursuit of the war effort. | |
| 1942 - The founder died from a heart attack. His two sons, William Joycey and Robert established the business as a limited liability company: Ford & Co (South Shields) Ltd. | 
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| 1948 - Fire at premises curtails production | |
| 1965 - Company moves to present site at Tyne Dock |  |
| 1967 - Robert Ford develops a unique low cost tooling technique (LCT) for the production of thin gauge metal shims, ideal for R&D, prototypes or small batches | |
| 1969 - Robert Ford takes over company. | |
| 1974 - Geoff Ford, Son of Chairman Robert Ford, joins the company. |  |
| 1979 - Ford Annual Sales pass the £1 million mark for the first time. | |
| 1982 - Ford invests in a new process to manufacture laminated shimstock, trade-name Easipeel, and ethers the aerospace market for the first time. | 
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| 1985 - Chairman Robert Ford dies, son Geoff takes over as chairman | |
| 1990 - Ford first invests at the Farnborough Airshow. | |
| 1992 - Ford buys the assets of rival Gauges & Instruments and signs 99 year lease for its Tyne Dock site. | |
| 1994 - Ford licences its LCT technology (see 1967) to US competitor, Spirol Industries. | |
| 1995 - Company annual sales pass the £5million mark for the first time. | |
| 2001 - Company opens operating divisions, Ford Aerospace and Ford Commercial. | |
| 2003 - Massive fire suffered at Tyne Dock plant. Commercial division moves to new site at Monkton, Hebburn. |  |
| 2005 - Ford wins three awards at Westland Transmissions - Supplier of the Year, Machined Components Supplier of the Year, and Most Innovative Supplier. |  |
| 2007 - Ford has survived two World Wars and two devastating fires. During its 97 year life it has had to reinvent itself several times and now stands poised to provide a first class service. Ford offers a top quality service to a wide range of industries on a worldwide basis as a result of continuous investment, people development and an unwavering focus on customer service. |  |
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