International operations and transformation consultancy Argon & Co has bolstered its footprint in Europe with the acquisition of R&G Global Consultants.
The deal is Argon & Co’s first since it secured growth capital from French private equity firm Ardian. At the time, CEO Yvan Salamon said that the investment would be used to open new offices “wherever clients want us to be” and potentially bolt-on new businesses to accelerate the growth process.
The addition of R&G Global Consultants adds a team of around 30 consultants in the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, UK and Germany to its ranks. R&G’s consultants specialise in manufacturing and the wider supply chain, supporting clients on topics including performance improvement, business process excellence, lean excellence, and change management.
The move expands Argon & Co’s offices in Paris and London, and provides the consulting firm with a market entry team in the markets of the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany. Outside of Europe, Argon & Co also has operations in Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Auckland, Melbourne, Mumbai and Singapore.
“R&G’s capabilities and impressive results-driven approach make it a welcome addition to Argon & Co,” said Salamon. He added that the two consultancies share a similar DNA on delivering results and a sweet spot for the strategic operations domain.
Christian Mertz, who co-founded R&G Global Consultants in 2004 together with a number of other former GE employees, said: “We are delighted to bring our heritage Six Sigma, Lean and operations expertise in manufacturing and supply chain to clients of Argon & Co throughout the world.”
Aart Willem de Wolf, another of the co-founders, added: “This move enables the R&G team to prosper and grow in a large, fast-moving, global consultancy which shares our practical approach and client-centric DNA. It marks a very powerful combination.”
The deal comes at a time of heightened demand for supply chain consulting services against the backdrop of the trade disruption caused by the Covid-19 crisis. According to a recent report by Consultancy.org, supply chain consulting is one of the few segments to have grown during the pandemic period, alongside the likes of restructuring, and obviously digital and technology.
Argon & Co was formed in 2018 by the merger between France’s Argon Consulting and UK’s Crimson & Co
Sourced from Copnsultancy.eu.