Ford Motor Company has entered into a partnership with Sharrow Engineering to scale production of the Sharrow™ Propeller using advanced 3D sand‑casting techniques. The collaboration, which leverages the Michigan Central innovation ecosystem, has cut the propeller’s production timeline from roughly 130 days to about two weeks, enabling the company to meet the growing demand for marine propulsion ahead of the summer boating season.
The deal expands Ford’s Advanced Industrial Technology & Platforms (ATP) portfolio beyond automotive manufacturing and is a key element of the company’s “Ford+” growth plan. By applying its two‑decade‑old expertise in 3D sand‑casting, Ford is creating a new, high‑volume production capability that diversifies its revenue base and strengthens its manufacturing moat.
Sharrow Engineering’s patented propeller delivers up to 30 % greater fuel efficiency and 80 % noise reduction compared with conventional designs, and the technology has potential applications in drones, aerospace, HVAC and renewable‑energy systems. Sharrow holds more than 200 patents worldwide and has relocated its headquarters to the Michigan Central district, where it has benefited from prototyping labs and talent acquisition.
Carolina Pluszczynski, Acting CEO of Michigan Central, said, “Michigan Central was built to bring together the people, infrastructure, and expertise needed to help companies move from breakthrough ideas to real‑world scale. Sharrow is exactly the kind of company we’re here to support — an innovator with proven technology and growing demand.” She added, “It is incredible to see how Sharrow has scaled since joining our ecosystem. They have leveraged the prototyping labs here, found talent to grow their team, and expanded their footprint.” Ford’s 3D sand‑casting supervisor Dan Michalski noted, “Ford has been at the leading edge of 3D sand‑casting for more than 20 years, and it’s rewarding to use that expertise to help another Michigan company scale so quickly.” Sharrow’s founder and CEO Greg Sharrow said, “Since we introduced the Sharrow Propeller, the market response has been extraordinary, but scaling production has been our biggest challenge, particularly getting high‑quality castings fast enough to meet demand.” He added, “This collaboration with Ford Motor Company has solved that problem for us in a big way. What used to be an entire boating season to produce can now be made in just a few weeks. That’s game‑changing.”
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