Article Date: 17 March 2015
Article Date: 17 March 2015
“This is the greatest day of my life!” George Wyatt
What you may wonder would cause such a statement…
George had not just collected straight A’s in his A Levels, seen England win the World Cup, or even won The Lottery. The scene was a damp and wind-swept car park in Basildon and the excitement had been generated by a visit to the New Holland Tractor Plant in Basildon, Essex.
On Wednesday 28 January a group of 35 AS Business Studies and Economics students visited the plant to examine the lean production methods that make this one of the most high performing production centres in the country. The trip had been arranged to enable the students to see a production plant in full operation, and to 'bring to life' aspects of their courses.
Students were split into two groups and after an introductory presentation giving the history of the company, and other interesting economic facts, they were taken on a tour, where every aspect of production was observed and explained. After this the group were given a free lunch in the works canteen, followed by the opportunity to visit the company showrooms, where some of the tractors produced were available to see and sit in. There was also a simulator where students were able to see if they had the necessary skills to use a tractor in the field. Students were extremely interested in what they saw and conducted themselves impeccably throughout the day, gaining positive comments from our guides. Students left with a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding manufacturing and a free New Holland baseball cap, what could be better!?
