PERTH, Australia, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pela Global Limited (PELA), an Australian based critical and precious metals company, has executed a Project Development funding agreement with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), securing up to US$5 million to advance its Krstov Dol Antimony Mine Restart Project in North Macedonia. This deal marks DFC's first antimony investment and first project in North Macedonia, providing strong validation of the project's strategic and commercial positioning.
The agreement includes the potential for follow-on financing, subject to feasibility and DFC investment criteria, and indicates a pathway with strong potential toward construction and long-term development support.
"DFC is proud to announce our partnership with Pela on this strategic Project Development agreement, our first in North Macedonia," said DFC CEO Ben Black. "By supporting the revival of the brownfield antimony mine and processing operation at Krstov Dol, this project will help diversify global antimony supply away from China and secure a reliable source of this critical mineral for the U.S. and our allies."
The investment is anchored in the strategic positioning of the Krstov Dol Mine (KDM) project. KDM is a historically producing antimony asset being advanced as a near-term source of supply for U.S. and allied markets. Antimony is a critical input in defence, semiconductor and energy systems, with limited near-term production capacity across allied economies, positioning the project to benefit from tightening supply-demand dynamics.
DFC funding will support key feasibility milestones, including a JORC-compliant Mineral Resource Estimate and assessments aligned with international standards, helping to de-risk the project and advance it toward development.
As a follow-on to DFC's agreement, PELA recently collaborated with PGM Processing, a U.S.-based company, to explore a commercial offtake arrangement. Under this engagement, PGM Processing intends to procure a substantial volume of antimony concentrate and tailings from PELA, subject to the successful completion of processing trials and project development milestones.
"Together, DFC's investment and the PGM Processing partnership are expected to support the development of near-term antimony supply for the United States, anchored in allied production and U.S.-based processing", Nik Jovanovski, the Managing Director of PELA Global.
Located in North Macedonia, a NATO member and EU accession country, the project offers a stable and strategically aligned jurisdiction for investment. PELA Global, is advancing the project in line with internationally recognised environmental and social standards.
Pela Global Limited is an Australian critical and precious metals company focused on the responsible development of mineral resources across Southeastern Europe's Tethyan Metallogenic Belt.
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
DFC Funding Positions PELA to Deliver Critical Antimony Supply to U.S. and Allied Markets
SYDNEY, April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Argon & Co, the global management consultancy specialising in operations strategy and transformation, is evolving its delivery model to embed data, digital capability and AI into end-to-end transformation, as organisations face increasing pressure to drive productivity, resilience and operational performance.
As organisations face increasing complexity, disruption and pressure to do more with less, there is a shift away from prioritising standalone digital initiatives towards more integrated transformation across operations. In response, Argon & Co is advancing its new unified approach, which combines deep operational expertise with cutting-edge technology, data and digital capability, along with a new model of partner to deliver faster, smarter, more sustainable outcomes that support long-term business growth.
Paul Eastwood, Managing Partner at Argon & Co, said the shift reflects a fundamental change in how transformation is being delivered across industries.
"We're seeing a clear shift in what clients expect from transformation. It's no longer about strategy or technology in isolation. Today, it's about how you bring those together to deliver measurable operational outcomes. Increasingly, AI is acting as a fourth dimension, augmenting people, process and systems to drive better decisions and performance," Eastwood said.
"Our focus is on embedding, data, digital capability and advanced technologies into the heart of operations, whether that's in manufacturing, procurement or capital investment. That's what enables organisations to unlock productivity, build resilience and create lasting value."
As part of its continued expansion and increasing client demand, Argon & Co has promoted Oliver North, Warren Proctor, Evert Westerhof and Felix Kong to Partner, recognising their roles in delivering digitally enabled end-to-end transformation. This new generation of partner sits at the forefront of the delivery model shift, leading the digitisation of Argon & Co's core service offerings and applying new capabilities for clients.
A key example of the shift is MODE (Manufacturing Operations Design & Excellence), Argon & Co's proprietary optimsation framework, digitally enabled with RedZone's connect workforce app. Led by Warren Proctor, MODE brings together operational excellence, enhanced front-line capabilities and digital enablement to deliver real-time performance improvement on the factory floor. With growing demand, the solution is now being scaled across clients, unlocking significant productivity gains that are measurable and sustainable.
In manufacturing and capital investment, Evert Westerhof is strengthening Argon & Co's capability to link operational performance with capital strategy, ensuring organisations take a disciplined, value-driven approach to investment. This helps clients balance cost, risk, and long-term value in increasingly complex production environments, where capital decisions must be closely aligned to operational outcomes.
One of Argon & Co's fastest growing service offerings is in procurement, where Felix Kong is driving a new wave of AI-enabled transformation. Working closely with Argon & Co's IRIS product team, he has helped develop and deploy intelligent procurement solutions that move beyond traditional cost reduction. These innovations leverage advanced analytics and AI to optimise spend, strengthen supplier strategies, and build resilience, enabling procurement to operate as a strategic engine for growth and value creation and competitive advantage.
Bringing these capabilities together, Oliver North is leading end-to-end transformation programs that connect strategy, technology and operations across the value chain. His work ensures AI decisions are Business led and the value understood, allowing organisations to move from isolated improvements to long-term enterprise-wide impact.
"Our new leaders collectively represent a more connected, technology-enabled approach to transformation. They combine deep operational expertise and practical solutions with AI capability to deliver better outcomes for our clients," Eastwood said.
"From AI-enabled procurement and digitally driven manufacturing, to ensuring capital delivers the return it should, they are helping organisations respond to the realities of a rapidly changing operating environment and the need to shift the productivity dial in Australia."
The appointments reinforce Argon & Co's continued investment in the capabilities that matter most to clients, with a strong focus on manufacturing and procurement, alongside the accelerated integration of digital and advanced technologies into every aspect of delivery.
About Argon & Co
Argon & Co is a global management consultancy that specialises in operations strategy and transformation. Its expertise spans supply chain planning, manufacturing, logistics, procurement, finance, and shared services, working together with clients to transform their businesses and generate real change. Its people are engaging to work with and trusted by clients to get the job done.
Argon & Co has 17 offices across Europe, Australasia, America, Asia and the Middle East.
For more information, please visit: www.argonandco.com/en/
** This press release is distributed by PR Newswire through automated distribution system, for which the client assumes full responsibility. **
Argon & Co Advances AI-Enabled Business Transformation Model, Promotes Four New Partners
