Fell-Fab Products (A‪)‬

Fell-Fab Products is a manufacturer of interior coverings for airlines, bus companies and passenger rail services. A secondary business for the company is the manufacture of other sewn and welded textiles such as mail bags, tents, etc. One of Fell-Fab Products' important airline customers asked the company if it was interested in diversifying into service by taking on a contract to manage all aspects of the interior coverings business. The president of Fell-Fab Products must assess the differences between service management and manufacturing, decide whether Fell-Fab is capable of doing a good job at service and determine whether the business makes economic sense for the company. This case and the accompanying Fell-Fab Products (B) case (product 9B00D022) explore some of the implications of manufacturers diversifying into services.