Argon & Co joins QAD Redzone in global factory tie-up

Argon & Co has entered a global partnership with QAD Redzone centred on manufacturing operations.

The tie-up combines Argon & Co's manufacturing consulting model with Redzone's connected workforce software for factories. It is aimed at manufacturers seeking stronger frontline execution and higher productivity across plant operations.

Redzone is already used in more than 2,000 factories. The companies describe the deal as its first global alliance focused on operational consulting. The initial focus will be manufacturers in food and beverage, consumer goods, industrial manufacturing and process industries.

The partnership will support roll-outs across Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East, giving it broad reach as manufacturers in many regions face labour shortages, rising costs and more complex operations.

Many factory groups have invested heavily in automation and continuous improvement programmes in recent years. Yet a recurring challenge has been turning those investments into lasting gains on the shop floor, particularly when new systems are not matched by changes in day-to-day management and workforce routines.

Under the arrangement, Argon & Co will combine its Manufacturing Optimisation and Daily Execution system, known as MODE, with Redzone's platform. The joint offer includes daily management systems, standard work, structured problem solving, leadership routines and capability transfer programmes, alongside digital tools designed to give frontline teams real-time visibility of performance.

Argon & Co is a management consultancy specialising in operations strategy and transformation, with 17 offices across Europe, Australia, America, Asia and the Middle East. Its work spans supply chain planning, manufacturing, logistics, procurement, finance and shared services.

QAD | Redzone focuses on manufacturing and supply chain software, with Redzone positioned as its frontline worker product. In this partnership, the technology is paired with on-the-ground operational consulting, a combination the companies say remains uncommon in manufacturing transformation projects.

Paul Eastwood, Managing Partner APAC at Argon & Co, said many manufacturers have yet to convert digital investment into sustained improvements on factory floors.

"Manufacturers have more operational data and technology than ever before, but many still struggle to turn that into consistent performance on the shopfloor," Eastwood said. "Too often, improvements fail to stick, and digital investments struggle to deliver measurable results at scale. As AI and connected operations continue to evolve, the real opportunity lies in combining operational insight with the execution disciplines and behaviours needed to sustain performance over time."

Operational focus

The companies argue that the gap between technology deployment and actual productivity improvement often comes down to execution. In practice, that means whether supervisors and frontline staff have clear standards, daily routines and the authority to act on problems as they arise.

Redzone's system is designed to give teams immediate access to production information and AI-guided prompts. MODE is intended to provide the operating framework around that information, standardising actions and embedding management processes across the organisation rather than treating them as a standalone improvement exercise.

Ken Fisher, President at Redzone, said manufacturing software needs to be backed by factory experience.

"Redzone's mission is to transform manufacturing by empowering the frontline to win every day, and that mission demands more than great technology. It requires world-class coaching by people who have actually worked inside a factory. Argon & Co's consultants are proven manufacturing experts who understand the realities of the shop floor. That depth of expertise, combined with their truly global reach, is exactly what it takes to help manufacturers achieve what once seemed impossible: five days of production in four," Fisher said.

Eastwood said the partnership would apply both to Redzone's current customer base and to manufacturers adopting the software for the first time. He described it as a way to strengthen factory disciplines from the outset rather than adding them after digital tools are already in place.

"Redzone has already built a significant client base in the US, and there's a reason for that: it delivers results," Eastwood said. "What excites me is the opportunity to take that even further. By combining Redzone with Argon & Co's MODE operating system, we can help existing Redzone clients unlock even greater factory performance, while enabling manufacturers implementing Redzone for the first time to embed stronger operational disciplines and productivity improvements from day one. This has the potential to fundamentally reshape how factories perform."