A group of Lower Sixth Economics students travelled to Morgan Cars in Malvern to investigate how a small independent motor company can thrive in a globally competitive market dominated by mass manufacturers.

On arrival the group were shown a video on the history of Morgan Cars which showed how the products of the company have evolved over the years and emphasising the family nature of the business. After the video the group were taken on a tour of the production units of the factory. The group learned that the cars are hand built by highly skilled labour and demonstrations were made by various production operatives to show the group how the body shell of the cars is produced. Of particular interest were comments made by the guide about the length of apprenticeships Morgan workers serve and that the vast majority of workers spend their entire career at Morgan. A visit to the paint shop and dispatch areas showed a wide range of models waiting to be road tested for about 35 miles prior to delivery to customers. The group were particularly interested in the marketing strategies of Morgan as 70% of their entire production is for the export market. Currently central Europe especially Germany is the main market but sales are made to Russia, Middle East, USA, and Japan. The company only produces cars to order and does not produce in excess of demand and stock surplus production awaiting buyers. At the end of the visit students were taken to the Morgan Cars museum where a wide range of older models were on display. Further exhibits showed many artefacts from the long history of the company- a fascinating way to end the visit. Clearly Morgan are producing a quality product in a niche market with a highly skilled workforce who are justifiably proud of what they are manufacturing.

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