I remember sitting in Switzerland during my time as a “World Economic Forum” (WEF) Fellow, looking at a map of the world’s most advanced factories, or as we call them, “Lighthouses”. The “Global Lighthouse Network” is an elite group of facilities that don’t just use technology — they redefine it using AI, robotics, and the Internet of Things to solve the world’s toughest production puzzles.
In 2019, our Gölcük plant was the first in Türkiye to light that torch. But my heart was set on something even more ambitious: Yeniköy.
The 2023 Rebirth: More Than Just a Renovation
In 2023, we didn't just update the Yeniköy Plant. We completely reimagined it. Imagine taking a running factory and rebuilding it to have 2.5 times more capacity, turning it into a playground for Industry 4.0. It was a massive investment, not just in steel and concrete, but in a digital nervous system.
I’ve stood on that factory floor during the busiest shifts. To the naked eye, it looks like a high-speed ballet. But behind the scenes, it’s a data-driven miracle. We manufacture over 4,000 different vehicle variations on a single line. Think about that for a second: an internal combustion engine model, a hybrid, and a E-Transit Custom or E-Tourneo Custom can follow each other in any order, customised to the pixel for more than 80 different global markets. In the old days, that level of complexity would have paralysed a plant. Today, it’s our greatest strength.
What makes Yeniköy a “Lighthouse” isn’t the fact that we have robots; it’s how those robots think. We developed over 60 in-house technological solutions. Our Quality AI Agent acts like a master craftsman with a perfect memory, spotting tiny inconsistencies before they even happen. Our Digital Twins allow us to simulate entire production shifts in seconds, optimising energy and efficiency before a single bolt is turned.
“I know we aren't just following the global standard. We are shaping the global standard.”Elif Gürbüz Ersoy, digital transformation leader at Ford Otosan
This transformation has led to massive efficiency gains, but it’s the human-machine collaboration that truly wins. Our people work alongside cobots, using GenAI-supported platforms to manage tasks that used to be physically draining.
A Rare Achievement
When the WEF officially invited Yeniköy into the Global Lighthouse Network, it was a deeply emotional moment for me.
As a former WEF Fellow, I’ve seen the best factories in the world. But standing here in Kocaeli, watching an E-Transit Custom roll off a line that we designed to be the "Plant of the Future", I know we aren't just following the global standard. We are shaping the global standard.
And for everyone at Ford Otosan, this second “Lighthouse” isn't just an award — it’s a promise that the road ahead is brighter than ever.
Elif Gürbüz Ersoy is a digital transformation leader at Ford Otosan
