Revival II: Bill Ford's big test; Ford Motor makes peace with suppliers.(Interview)

Byline: Lindsay Chappell

Ford Motor Co. appears ready to end its on-again, off-again price-cutting wars with its own suppliers.

Last week, Tony Brown, Ford's global purchasing chief, introduced new purchasing guidelines that will make Ford act a little more like Toyota and a little less like Ford. Brown said he will:

* Cut in half the number of key suppliers he works with - from about 200 to 100 or fewer.

* Choose key suppliers in the early stages of a vehicle's design.

* Award contracts to suppliers over multiple vehicle cycles rather than rebidding parts for every cycle.

* Set target prices for each part and minimize demands for across-the-board price cuts.

In a Thursday, Sept. 29, interview with Automotive News, Brown said the new approach will …