Keep on Trucking: Ford F-150 Ushers In A New Era of Building

The recovery of our economy is evidenced by the upswing in building–houses, commercial buildings, retail spaces. And it’s also evidenced in the growing sales of vehicles that schlep all the materials and people to building sites. Enter the Ford F-150, the popularity of which is a solid sign that construction, so important to our economy, is really on the rebound.

Recently, Ford Motor Company and the American Institute of Architects New York invited Frank J. Sclame Jr., CEO/chairman, Sclame Construction Company, and Erik Churchill, project manager SHoP Construction, to discuss the demands of the building industry and the durability of our buildings and cars, with J Mays, group vice president and chief creative officer of design at Ford.

We also got a good look at a 2014 Ford F-Series truck that is so powerfully built, it could probably pass the NYC building code.

The F-Series, which has been a best-seller for 36 years, has been around since 1948. And while a vehicle driven as hard as a truck is would likely not last that long, the fact that the model endures speaks volumes.

So does Ford’s commitment to durability. While American cars in the past were thought to be exhausted after 100,000 miles, F-150s are built to last; Ford says it has more full-size pickup trucks on the road with at least 250,000 miles than any other automaker.

And, like the buildings they helped to build, we want them to be around for a long time. Since cars, trucks and houses are all often owned by a succession of people, if your car has a second life with your kid, your neighbor’s kid, or even someone in the next town, you want to know that they are getting a safe, enduring vehicle.