When industrial manufacturing businesses experience fluctuations in demand, factory relocation is often required. They may need access to more space, to downsize or even tap into a new market or talent pool. Whatever the situation, relocating a factory is a major project that must be strategically planned and managed to ensure it runs seamlessly.
AIS Eurelo has built an internationally recognised reputation for the specialist relocation of machinery and industrial equipment. Our expertise lies in efficiently moving heavy machinery and industrial equipment across Europe for organisations across several sectors, such as automotive, aerospace and manufacturing.
Here, we’ve compiled a step-by-step guide to tackling a factory relocation with confidence:
- Identify why and when you need to move.
Relocating a factory is no small undertaking, so if you know there could be a move on the horizon, it’s essential to be clear on the reasons WHY, such as expansion, cost reduction, or access to better resources. You should also evaluate the impact on production, supply chain, and workforce. This exercise will also help determine the best time to relocate in order to minimise operational disruption.
At AIS Eurelo, we operate outside traditional business hours and on weekends to help customers reduce business interruption, optimise operational efficiency, control costs, and meet their deadlines and commercial goals.
- Develop a comprehensive plan.
A successful factory relocation starts with a clear and comprehensive plan. From the offset, our industrial machinery removal specialists will collaborate with you to undergo extensive planning before delivering a detailed scope of work and a critical path for your relocation.
We’ll provide a recommended timeline and can advise whether a staged approach may be necessary to ensure operational continuity during the move and reduce downtime. The planning process includes site visits, cataloguing any machinery and infrastructure to be moved and identifying any access issues – which can be common as factories and production lines typically involve confined spaces.
The plan will also include a health and safety risk assessment, considering the unique challenges of your move and earmarking potential logistical hurdles to ensure we’re armed with a solution before they occur.
- Coordinate logistics and regulatory compliance.
AIS Eurelo provides end-to-end support for factory relocations, including a complete logistics provision comprising professional packaging, transportation, and offloading. We even have the capacity to build bespoke crates to fit machinery and equipment precisely to protect your valuable, business-critical assets and mitigate damage during transportation.
We provide complete documentation for relocations as well as dismantling, lifting, loading, transporting, unloading and reassembling. When they’re cross-border, this is provided in all required languages to comply with compliance regulations in the country of origin, the end destination and any countries travelled through on the way.
- Maintain clear communication with all stakeholders.
Factory relocations are disruptive and stressful, so keeping employees informed about the relocation process and how it will affect them is vital. Maintaining a clear line of communication helps to address any concerns and provide support to alleviate uncertainty and uphold morale. You should also communicate regularly with suppliers, customers, and regulatory authorities throughout the relocation process.
An experienced project manager leads AIS Eurelo’s factory relocation projects to guarantee a consistent point of contact and regular communication with all parties. The project manager is supported by a specialist team of handpicked SSSTS-trained forepersons, riggers, mechanical fitters, HGV drivers (Class 1 and 2), crane operators and M&E specialists – each selected on account of their experience with relocations similar to yours.
By following these steps, factory relocation can be a transformative opportunity for industrial businesses to remain competitive and drive long-term growth.
Effective planning, communication and smooth adaptation are crucial to ensuring a successful move and minimising disruption.
Choose AIS Eurelo as your factory relocation partner and benefit from:
- A dedicated project manager
- Thorough health & safety documents, including a method statement, risk assessments, lift plans, personnel training records and equipment certifications
- Regular site visits to assess project requirements
- Disconnection of services and dismantling of machinery
- Machinery loading to transport
- Storage (where required)
- Machine transportation to any location worldwide
- Floor preparation, including core drilling
- Offloading and positioning
- Aligning and levelling
- Reconnection of main services
- Export, packing and shipping services with complete documentation in all required languages
Factory relocation can be a daunting task, but with careful planning and execution, it can help to increase operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve productivity. AIS Eurelo has the skills and expertise to handle every stage of your relocation, no matter the scale of the project.
Contact us to find out more.