The aim was clear: we needed a Shop Floor Data Capture (SFDC) system that would give senior leaders a clearer view of production and help us get to the root of any possible problems happening on the shop floor.
Every improvement project has a story and ours with Redzone is one that’s been two years in the making. From early research to demos, delays, and finally a go-live date, it’s been shaped by a mix of curiosity, collaboration, and careful decision-making.
This is the first in a series of blog posts documenting our Redzone implementation journey: what we've learned, how we made our decisions, and what’s next as we roll it out across the business.
Early curiosity: May 2022
It all started in May 2022 when Katie Robertson, Project Coordinator, stumbled across an article about Tyson Foods in Thailand, and how they had gone paperless using Redzone. At the time, Katie was exploring ERP systems that could give us real-time shop floor data while maintaining Rain’s high standards of quality control.
The idea of a platform that could digitise shop floor data and still support rigorous quality control really piqued Katie’s interest, but the timing wasn’t ideal as Katie went on maternity leave in November 2022, so the idea was temporarily parked.
Project Iceberg: April 2023
In April 2023, Katie returned for some KIT (Keeping In Touch) days, during this time Mark Cleverley, Manufacturing Manager, provided the scope for Project Iceberg. The aim was clear: we needed a Shop Floor Data Capture (SFDC) system that would give senior leaders a clearer view of production and help us get to the root of any possible problems happening on the shop floor.
The wish list included:
• Real-time job costing (actual vs. theoretical)
• Process optimisation for cost and time reduction
• Barcode scanning for materials, resources, and people
This was when the research started. We wanted to understand not just what each platform could do on paper, but how they might work in the real world of Rain.
Back to work, and back to priorities: October 2023
Katie returned to work properly in October 2023, ready to dive in and get project Iceberg off the ground, only to find that urgent business priorities meant we needed to put a hold on the project. Disappointing but the right decision for Rain.
We knew we’d get back to it. And in March 2024, we did…
The search begins: March 2024
In March, Katie reached out to several potential suppliers and arranged remote, high-level demonstrations. These demos were attended by both Katie and James Foggo, New Product Introduction Engineer.
After reviewing a number of platforms, we narrowed the field to four providers we felt were strong contenders. Each was invited to our site in Honiton for a more detailed, onsite demonstration, this time involving the senior leadership team, including our Managing Director, Kyle Dunbar.
Seeing Redzone in action: May 2024
Redzone were the first to come to site, visiting us for a two-day demonstration at the end of May. Their team didn’t just show us the product; they spent time getting to know our people, our processes, and what we were trying to achieve.
James and Katie had a good feeling about them going in and the demo confirmed it. There was one other platform that came close, but after just two live demos, Kyle made the call: we didn’t need to see more. We cancelled the final two demonstrations and focused all attention on Redzone.
Due diligence and deep dives
What followed was a period of discussion and negotiation, especially around reporting functionality and how the system would integrate into our processes.
One of the highlights of this phase was being connected with a US-based business already using Redzone in our sector. Their openness about the challenges they faced, how they navigated implementation, and how they used data to drive Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) improvements was a game-changer for our Operations Managers and Directors. It gave them a real-world understanding of what Redzone could do for us.
A pause and a green light: June to December 2024
By the end of June 2024, everyone was aligned on Redzone, but operations needed to refocus attention on other priorities, and we made the decision to delay the implementation.
In November, Redzone reached out to check in and the timing was finally right. On 2nd December 2024, Kyle officially signed off on the purchase order, and we were ready to begin.
Kicking off: December 2024
Mid-December brought our first official call with the Redzone team, where we met our dedicated Project Manager, Adam Bullivant. Adam would be our main point of contact, leading the setup of the sensors, data capture, and everything else we’d need to make Redzone work for us.
Together, we agreed on a go-live date: 7th April 2025.
What’s next
And that brings us to now! We’ve just launched and have been sharing our story on our LinkedIn profile.
In our next blog, we’ll be diving into the setup phase. We’ll share what’s involved in configuring Redzone for a manufacturing site like ours, what we’ve learned so far, and how we’re preparing the team for success.
Stay tuned as we continue sharing our Redzone story.