The Progress Group and Supply Chain Cover rebrand as Crimson & Co
Supply chain consulting firms The Progress Group, a consultancy with offices in the US and India, and Supply Chain Cover, an Australia based player, have rebranded as Crimson & Co. The move builds on partnerships of more than two years, and, with the full integration, Crimson & Co significantly ramps up its presence in the global supply chain consulting market.
In the fourth quarter of 2014, Crimson & Co, a supply chain consulting firm with at the time offices in the UK and Singapore, agreed partnership agreements with both specialised consultancies. With the move, the London headquartered firm – Crimson & Co was established in 2003 as a breakaway from PwC’s operations consulting arm – aimed at growing its international presence in the wake of a new growth strategy as a response to the growing globalisation of consulting services.
The alliance with The Progress Group (TPG) was aimed at establishing an on the ground presence in North America and India. Established in 1991, with office in Atlanta (Georgia, US) and Mumbai, TPG provides services to corporates as well as mid-market clients, ranging from strategic planning and operations design to cost reduction, warehousing and transportation, technology, process improvement and programme management. “By joining Crimson & Co, we will be able to offer our existing clients more services over a wider geographical scope, which means that we will be able to create even more value for them”, said Bruce Strahan, who was President of The Progress Group at the time.
The joining of forces with Australia based Supply Chain Cover was geared at establishing a local footprint in Australia and New Zealand. Located in Melbourne, Supply Chain Cover advises clients across ‘Australasia’ on procurement, planning, manufacturing, logistics, supply chain systems and supply chain strategy.
Roughly 2.5 years into their partnerships, Crimson & Co’s CEO Richard Powell has unveiled that the two boutique advisories have been fully integrated into the firm’s operations. “We started our global partnership journey in 2014 and it has gone from strength to strength, enhancing our capabilities and giving us insight into markets at a local level”, he said.
The Progress Group: US and India
Commenting on the integration of TPG’s US arm, Powell said, “TPG is one of the leading supply chain consultancies in the US and delivers tremendous results for its clients. Over the past two years, they have delivered significant value to Crimson & Co’s global client base, especially with their deep expertise in the retail sector and warehouse design. This next step now means that we have a seamless, fully integrated service for our clients in the US.”
On TPG India, he added, “We have worked with the Mumbai team on a range of client projects. This next step in our strategic business relationship increases the value we can bring to our clients whilst also allowing for greater development and progression internally. We are excited about the opportunities for our clients and for ourselves.”
Now the Progress Group’s US director, Bruce Strahan said: “By working as close partners with Crimson & Co over the past two years, we have learned that our global reach and combined industry experience offers our clients a significantly enhanced depth of value.”
Ravikant Parvateneni, the firm’s Indian leader, commented: “This reinforces to our Indian clients that we are a truly end to end supply chain consultancy that has the skills, knowledge and experience to help support their global aspirations.”
Both country heads said they are “delighted” with joining Crimson & Co’s global ranks, adding “While we take the official name of Crimson & Co, our experienced local team and commitment to high quality and service will not change.”
Supply Chain Cover: Australia and New Zealand
“The decision to become a Crimson & Co business was simple and logical and we are excited about the long-term prospects for our local and global clients and our people”, said Frans Verheij, a former PwC consultant who founded Supply Chain Cover eight years ago. The firm is today co-led by Peter Quine, who joined in 2012 from Australian retailer Coles – both directors have extensive experience in worldwide supply chain development and consultancy and head up a team with over 200 years’ supply chain experience across Australia and New Zealand.
Powell: “The integration celebrates the success of the particularly close relationship between Supply Chain Cover and Crimson & Co over the past year. We share a common approach to consulting and a single belief that the only thing that matters is making a real difference for our clients. We are thrilled that Supply Chain Cover has integrated into our global business.”
“Our global partnership has proven valuable for our clients by enhancing our capabilities worldwide, as we continue to work towards our strategic vision. We are pleased to be taking this next natural step in solidifying our global brand.”
Besides its offices in London, Atlanta, Mumbai and Melbourne, Crimson & Co also has hubs in Singapore (opened in 2014) and Brazil (launched in 2015). Its clients are typically blue-chip organisations such as Sony, Diageo, Carlsberg, BAT, GSK, Tesco and Merck.
