TUV SUD America was recently awarded a 12-month contract to support Ford Motor Company's Vehicle Operations at various assembly plants in the NAFTA region. This contract is known as the Transportable Environmental Four Posters (TEFPs). We are responsible for the staffing, management, maintenance and operation of theses portable systems. The primary function of these systems is to perform and identify Squeak and Rattle concerns prior to public release. The team also works with other Ford engineering teams to evaluate powertrain, electrical, and fit-and-finish issues.

The work includes managing three special-purpose-built portable test systems, which are owned by Ford. Each TEFP system is staffed with three TUV technical specialists, with a Program Manager to oversee the operation of all three systems. Our staff can perform maintenance on the entire system, schedule vehicles, perform testing and report on concerns found to Ford Engineering and Ford Suppliers. The output of this team significantly reduces Ford's warranty cost and improves customers' initial satisfaction.

Program Manager Steve Miaskowski said "It takes a unique and dedicated individual to work remotely 24/7, as members of this team spend the majority of their work life on the road working out of these test systems. Due to the importance of this work, Ford expects the facilities to be highly utilized with minimal downtime." The systems are portable and we move them to where Ford is doing new launches. We can tear down and re-setup at a new assembly plant over a long weekend. It is a grueling pace for our team as the staff will work three weeks on and then have one extended weekend off to visit home.

The TEFP tests vehicles from their early prototype stage through initial production runs (Job 1). Currently, we have our teams located in Oakville, Canada, Dearborn, Michigan and Chicago, Illinois. Vehicle programs include the Ford 2009 Flex, Lincoln 2009 MKS, Dearborn 2009 F-150, 2010 Mustang, 2009 Mazda 6, 2009 Fusion.