It doesn’t matter whether you’re only moving a single piece of equipment to a different area of your site or if you’re relocating an entire factory overseas, you need to carry out careful planning if you want to avoid running into any unexpected issues.
Take it from us, we’ve been working with some of the most prestigious companies in high-technology sectors like semiconductor, pharma and microelectronics for more than 30 years and have decades of experience planning some of the most complex equipment moves.
Planning is the foundation of a successful project—which is why it’s the first step in our process for relocating complex equipment.
In this article, we’re going to run through the six key considerations you should factor into each planning stage. So you can plan a seamless relocation project and avoid any unwanted surprises down the line.
Cover all bases with our Equipment Moves Checklist - download your free copy here.
You can’t effectively plan your relocation project without a clear definition of the work you need to do.
So, start by putting together a scope of work that details each element of the move, all the steps involved and who’s responsible for what. Ultimately, this will help you make sure everyone’s on the same page and reduce any chances of miscommunication.
It’s also worth including useful information about the site, including time restrictions, loading docks, building dimensions, potential hazards, sub-contractors working on site, and whether there are first aid facilities. This is so you can plan accordingly around these and avoid getting caught out by any of these during the project.
Next, plan how you’re going to remove the equipment from its original location. Start by considering its current location, where you’ll be moving it to, and which specific equipment and vehicles you might need.
As part of this, you should specify the distance from the equipment’s current location to the packing area, consider whether there are any access issues, and factor in any ground conditions that might impact the project. You should then plan your strategies for how you’ll factor these in and overcome any potential issues if they arise.
Planning makes perfect. Download your free copy of our Equipment Move Checklist here.
After you’ve defined your scope of work and planned the equipment removal, the next step is to factor in the environmental conditions of both the equipment’s current location and where you’re moving it to.
First, consider the environments your team will be working in and whether there are any specialist clothing requirements. For example, if you’re moving equipment in or out of a cleanroom environment, will you provide specialist clothing to prevent contamination? If you’ll be working in a dirty environment, will you provide appropriate overalls?
Next, you should factor in whether you’ll need floor protection for the move route (for example, stainless steel, PVC or PLY sheets), the floor loading capacity, whether the space is large enough for a working area and has storage space for materials, and whether there are any issues in terms of access.
Lastly, you’ll want to consider whether the area has power (and if so, what kind of socket) as well as other important environmental factors, such as other users in the area, height restrictions, potential hazards, chemical hazards, and more. See our checklist for the full list of considerations.
What equipment will you need for the rigging? Will you need forklifts, cranes, or other specialist equipment like genie lifts, a-frame gantries or counterbalance floor crames? If you need a forklift, consider the capacity and fork length, carriage width, and lift height. If you need a crame, consider what capacity you need, lift height and where you’ll set it up.
Also consider whether the client has existing equipment on-site that you can use, whether there are any LOLER certificates available.
Next, factor in the requirements of the plant. Are skips or waste disposal required? Are 240V tools restricted? Do you need safety restraints? Is there a rescue plan? See the full list of factors in our Equipment Moves Checklist.
While thorough planning reduces the risk of things going wrong, it doesn’t eliminate them. So, it’s important to have the right insurance in place to cover your high-value technology in case the worst-case scenario happens.
Your policy should cover every stage of your relocation project—whether you’re simply moving your equipment to the other side of your factory or across several continents.
So, consider the following. What’s the value of the equipment you plan to move? Is it insured? What’s the scope of the insurance? What’s the excess? That way, you can identify where your potential gaps might be and make sure you’re covered if anything goes wrong.
If you're looking for advice on getting the right cover for your equipment, see our blog here.
If required for your project, the final thing to consider is crate manufacture and export packing. When you’re shipping sensitive, high-value and business-critical equipment, you want peace of mind that it’s securely packed and won’t be damaged during transit. Careful planning is a key part of achieving this.
First, you’ll need to consider the tools and materials you’ll require for export packing. This includes the type of crate you’ll need (full timber, ply batten or other), the type of base (standard, machine, heavy-duty or anti-vibration) and any internal fixtures or packing materials required (including foil or poly bags). You’ll also want to consider unit dimensions, external height and dimensions and maximum weight.
Finally, consider how you’re going to load your equipment into the crate. For example, do you need to make special consideration for the lifting equipment you’re using? Are there any other key requirements you need to factor in here?
If you found this article useful, you can download our Equipment Moves Checklist here for free.
We’ve been helping end-users and OEMs in high-technology industries to relocate business-critical equipment since 1991.
Whether you’re moving single machines or entire production lines, our trusted team of engineers can support every step of your move, from rigging to end-to-end relocation support across the globe.
Get in touch to chat about how we can help.