Thank you to Manufacturing & Engineering Magazine for featuring Morson Projects in their latest issue.

Their team caught up with our Associate Director, Andy Hassall to talk about the success of the business over the years and in particular our ability to adapt in line with our clients’ requirements to deliver successful projects, which has been increasingly important during Covid-19.

Full article is available via this link, or below.

Founded in 1979, Morson Projects forms a part of the Morson Group and delivers a wide range of engineering services into some of the most security-conscious and essential industrial sectors in the UK. Bringing together the complete spectrum of engineering services, the firm has developed a strong reputation across key industries such as aerospace, defence, nuclear, and the power distribution sector, with continued growth fuelling stronger services year-on-year.

One of the most prominent factors that has contributed to the success of Morson Projects over the years has been the ability to not only adapt in line with the requirements of key customers, but also to work with said customers to agree upon ways of working and ensure the maximal benefit from services. Given the tightly regulated nature within many of the sectors that Morson Projects specialise in, this has proven to be a vital aspect in developing meaningful industry relationships based on collaboration. Indeed, the benefits of this approach have come to the fore even more so due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The advent of COVID-19 has affected businesses across just about every sector in the country, and even the globe. Although a trying time, the period has served to highlight those organisations who are able to be flexible, change the way in which they work, and tackle a whole host of new safety situations. In part due to the firm’s focus on collaboration, Morson Projects is one of the few firms to successfully tackle the challenges that have arisen from the pandemic and continue on a path of growth for the company.

To learn more about how Morson Projects approached the challenges facing the business during the COVID-19 pandemic, Manufacturing & Engineering Magazine spoke with Andy Hassall, our Business Development Director, who explained:

“The key challenge initially was getting everybody set up to work from home. We had people who worked from home prior to this, but we’d never had everybody working from home. It was about whether our systems would be robust enough to have everyone at home, but also to be productive. We had to look at our IT infrastructure and, in some instances, bolster this infrastructure which was certainly a challenge. We may have made mistakes in those early stages, but you have to make those calls quickly and hopefully it’s been the right decision to get us set up properly. The real challenge now is getting people back into the office now that we’ve all proven we can do it out of the office!”

Amongst the challenges that Morson Projects faced was the simple nature of accessibility to critical information. As a firm which works within security-oriented sectors, a true test in the firm’s flexibility was in devising a way to maintain the same level of data security that our clients require, while simultaneously enabling our operatives to work from home without the typical infrastructure available. Not only did this see the firm work very closely with clients to adapt this infrastructure, but also invest further in simple systems upgrades to mitigate the strain placed on the firm’s network. These upgrades, in the long term, will only serve to further enhance the company’s capabilities going forward.

Crucial to the company’s success during this period has also been the very nature of our staff. The hard work and diligence of our team members has proven essential during recent times, and is thanks to the firm’s ability to track both talented and professional team members. Despite skill shortages which are evident across the entire industry, Morson Projects has been able to achieve this thanks to the reputation of the wider group and a key focus on apprenticeships so as best to bring in young talent which can be trained in the Morson approach. Further partnerships with local universities such as Salford University and Manchester University have also enhanced this access to talent.

In terms of developing team members, Morson Projects has a very simple yet effective approach. Wherever there is potential benefit for further training, services which may require specialist skills, or where further skills may enhance the careers of our team members, training is provided. Always keen to invest in our people, this has allowed for the continued expansion of the firm’s expertise and also enhanced our ability to hold onto the talent that we develop.

Although a recent member of the GTMA, Morson Projects has also benefited greatly already from this association, via enjoying the improved brand awareness and networking opportunities available. The firm is also a proud supporter of the ReshoringUK initiative and recognises the important role which it will play in the future of the manufacturing and engineering sectors.

As Andy Hassall furthered:

“We’ve seen it in the news how we’ve been reliant on international supply chains that have been bottlenecked in supplying some key equipment during this crisis. This was a global problem, with many countries across the globe having similar issues. Once we get past COVID-19, there will be many procurement executives looking to procure locally, manufacture locally, and support the local economy.”

When looking at our own supply chain, Morson Projects are thankful for the support of our key supply chain members during this period, including the likes of Strenco Tools, Bestalinks Ltd, and Watson Laurie who each provide vital services to the company. Thanks to deep-rooted relationships with each and every one of these partners, we have been able to safely secure the future of the business and continue on a positive growth path which will benefit all those involved.

As for the future of Morson Projects, decisions are currently being made on which direction the company can expand, however recent investments into 3D printing capabilities, cyber security, and automation plot a clear picture of focus for the company going forward. Keenly driving automation, the firm not only recognises the fast-paced nature of the automation sector but is also keen to invest further and enhance the service capabilities we already have.