Outcomes
The turnaround delivered over €10 million in annualised operating profit and a working capital reduction of more than €20 million. The site was transformed from a business that had struggled to break even for four years into a Group-wide exemplar of best operating practices — re-establishing its position as a market-leading producer and a credible, long-term engine of growth. The transfer of capabilities to the local team ensured the improvements were sustainable well beyond Curzon’s involvement. The engagement was recognised externally, receiving a “Highly Commended” award at the MCA Awards for Change Management in the Private Sector.
Background
Four consecutive years of declining demand had left the site in a precarious position — financially, operationally, and culturally. Production teams were under significant strain, and a culture of resistance to change had taken hold, making it difficult to drive the improvements the business urgently needed. Inefficiencies were embedded across the operation, but their precise nature, location, and scale had never been properly diagnosed.
The site needed more than a short-term fix. It needed a credible transformation — one that could be demonstrated quickly enough to secure its future within the group, but delivered in a way that would last.
Curzon Approach
Curzon began with a rigorous operational analysis — establishing precisely where, why, and how greater efficiencies were achievable across the site. This diagnostic foundation ensured that the transformation effort was targeted at the interventions with the greatest impact, rather than spread thinly across the operation.
A transformation pilot was designed and managed by Curzon, with effectiveness carefully measured before committing to a wider rollout — a disciplined approach that built confidence in the changes and reduced the risk of implementation. The rollout was then prioritised and executed with robust project governance, supported by structured training to embed new ways of working across the operation.
Running alongside the operational changes was a focused effort to build leadership capability within the local management team — working with managers directly to develop the skills and confidence needed to sustain the transformation independently. This capability transfer was not an afterthought; it was central to the design of the programme from the outset, and it is what made the improvements durable rather than dependent on continued external support.
