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Is it over for MMM?

Severed_lime

Severed_lime

TS Member

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Sharko said:
Do they maybe think that MMM isn’t really fit for purpose. I mean, the theming has been ok but do they think the quality and efficiency can be improved by outsourcing?
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I think I'm looking at it from an emotional rather than business perspective but I'm not knowledgeable enough to say if outsourcing is a good business decision. From a customer viewpoint, outsourcing seems a massive fail (see Aramark). But I'm obviously happy to be corrected by someone with better business understanding than me 🤣.
 
If you are looking to cut fast and hard, without it showing directly in the public frontage in the "here and now", it is a simple and vicious way of cutting overheads quickly and considerably, to show how "lean and mean" your business is.

Looking at today, not tomorrow, as usual.
 
Having read the article it is nothing to do with designing rollercoasters, it is the team which have been based at Alton Towers for 20-30 years, building themed structures. They do a lot of the sets and similar for entertainments. But I can see why it may not make sense for them to be based at Alton Towers when there are companies they can outsource to.
"Due to current market challenges, MMM has recognised the need to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Following a strategic review, we have concluded that our current theming facility no longer meets future needs and would require significant investment to upgrade, making it unviable despite efforts to reduce costs. Outsourcing theming production fits with our global strategy - we don't plan to make it a core area of expertise. Our procurement strategy will focus on building cost-effective partnerships with external suppliers to meet theming demands."
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So the headline is a bit misleading, as its the old Studios North theming manufacturing team at risk, not the ride designers. I can sort of see why they would do this as it probably isn't worth keeping their own team of theming production staff. In the same way they get Leek Signs to make all the signage instead of buying the machines to do it themselves.

Oh to add, I would assume the core areas of expertise in terms of actually manufacturing things would remain waxworks and Lego models. As far as I know most of the rest of MMM is design rather than manufacture anyway.
 
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Blackrock said:
I can’t imagine outsourcing being any cheaper.
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It probably would be as the company it is outsourced to can work on projects for other attractions across the country filling their staff time to the maximum and making full use of all machinery. Using the Leek Signs example, its probaby not worth AT owning the machine to print professional shop signage as they will only need it for two weeks a year, whereas Leek Signs probably use it constantly making the return on investment better. It will be similar with production of themed structures, one company making things for Drayton Manor, Alton Towers, Paultons and Chessington (for example) could allocate resources better than MMM just producing for their own parks.
 
jon81uk said:
Having read the article it is nothing to do with designing rollercoasters, it is the team which have been based at Alton Towers for 20-30 years, building themed structures. They do a lot of the sets and similar for entertainments. But I can see why it may not make sense for them to be based at Alton Towers when there are companies they can outsource to.

So the headline is a bit misleading, as its the old Studios North theming manufacturing team at risk, not the ride designers. I can sort of see why they would do this as it probably isn't worth keeping their own team of theming production staff. In the same way they get Leek Signs to make all the signage instead of buying the machines to do it themselves.

Oh to add, I would assume the core areas of expertise in terms of actually manufacturing things would remain waxworks and Lego models. As far as I know most of the rest of MMM is design rather than manufacture anyway.
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Ah, glad to be corrected by someone with specialist knowledge - the local paper isn't known for it's accurate reporting 🤣.
Still feel sorry for the people losing their jobs (hopefully they will get sorted).
I genuinely thought this was the team responsible for all of the unique coasters over the recent decades 😂.
 
Severed_lime said:
Ah, glad to be corrected by someone with specialist knowledge - the local paper isn't known for it's accurate reporting 🤣.
Still feel sorry for the people losing their jobs (hopefully they will get sorted).
I genuinely thought this was the team responsible for all of the unique coasters over the recent decades 😂.
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Not even really having specialist knowledge, the article was correct and stated who it was losing their jobs, just the sub-editor gave it a mis-leading headline
 
wasn’t there the infamous analogy of MMM charging thousands of pounds for a new fence post ?

MMM was used by old Merlin to cook the books and overcharge themselves on inexpensive projects, it makes sense to restructure and stop paying over the odds for their services. Hopefully the artists all find employment
 
Yeah, I'm certain that MMM was notorious for overcharging. Hence, Towers go to Leek Signs for all their signage, as MMM would cost double or triple.

I wonder whether this arm of MMM was a leftover from the Tussauds days and kept existing out of loyalty (for all of Varney’s flaws, he had a soft spot for everything at Alton). Still, it’s a shame for Merlin to lose the talent in this department.

Overall, this could be the first sign of this big ‘Merlin restructure’ incoming and may be a sign of things to come. Maybe we're entering the outsourcing era.
 
The themed structures are the positive element of what Merlin do to theme rides. Nemesis monster, wickerman “big Bob” I assume the Jumanji Jaguar shrine also?

What they badly lack is the skill/ability or budget for animatronics and special effects/lighting packages. They are producing some quite awful stuff in that regard which is miles behind the industry standard. The animatronics in curse are something that you could replicate in your back garden.

Not surprised it’s being chopped, if this is what needs to happen to move forward then so be it.
 
While its sad that people are at risk of losing their jobs, isnt most of the big budget stuff outsourced now anyway? For example, Universal Rocks did a lot of Wicker Mans theming. I cant remember the company that produced a lot of the Curse theming but that was definitely outsourced as it is (or was) detailed on their website.
 
As others have mentioned this could simply be that the skills and technology available at this location are not in line with what Merlin feel they need for the parks theming wise over the coming years.

They may well feel overall it will be cheaper to oursource (especially as they already do this for many theming elements) versus the cost of recruiting and bringing in new technology for the teams at Alton.

Sad of course for those impacted, but not necessarily a window into investment and theming levels of coming attractions.
 
Actually, did the original HH and Bubbleworks had their theming outsourced technically if I remember with Sparks Creative Services doing much of the work then from conception and construction?

Perhaps that's what they want to do in going back to those early Tussauds days perhaps?
 
You need a couple of people to come up with the ideas, but wouldn’t think that you need to physically make the stuff yourself - especially in this day and age where technology and all sorts of different specialisms can be utilised.
 
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