I've written elsewhere about the oddity of Ford Motor Co.'s retreat from metalcasting, just as GM, Chrysler, Honda, and Toyota are expanding similar operations. There's a lot more to be said — and discovered — about this decision. And, I'd love to hear readers' thoughts about what it means. But, …

I can't get out of my head the statement from Adrian Vido, Ford of Canada's Windsor, ON, site manager, when that operation was closed in June: "The company's decision to move away from in-house casting operations is based on a thorough analysis of our business and a need to focus on our core operations (italics mine.) While difficult, these are the right actions for Ford's future."  

I understand corporate-speak well enough to know what message he was delivering at that time. But, shouldn't a metalcasting site manager have a little more awareness than to use a word like "core" in that specific context?

Which, of course, only brings me back to wondering what Ford's core operations are, or will be — especially when its rivals have made very nearly the opposite decision.