Product Liability In A Complicated World

To build automobiles in the early 20th century, Henry Ford built the largest integrated manufacturing plant the world had ever seen. Indeed, he eventually purchased iron mines in Minnesota and rubber plantations in Brazil so that he could control all of the inputs that went into his cars.

That world no longer exists. In recent years, the manufacturing process has become more fragmented. Different companies specialize in the manufacture of component parts that can be used in a wide variety of products. Manufacturers outsource the production of components to many different manufacturers and suppliers. Sometimes, those suppliers are on the other side of the globe. Dozens of different companies may manufacture the components required to manufacture a single product.