Effective plant relocation services do more than just move equipment from one location to another. For manufacturers, relocating a production facility must consider a myriad of factors. Getting it wrong can lead to expensive unforeseen downtime, especially if equipment is damaged or not installed and commissioned properly.
Effective plant relocation services do more than simply move heavy equipment from one location to another. For manufacturers, relocating an entire production facility requires careful consideration of a myriad of factors from equipment preparation and transportation to installation and commissioning.
Planning the Relocation
By gathering all the information needed ahead of time, a relocation sequence can be established before any production schedules are interrupted. Equipment dimensions, weight, updated facility layouts and load bearing capacity of flooring, ramps, and other relevant structures. This will inform the rigging, removal, and loading of heavy and sensitive industrial equipment, as well as positioning in the new facility.
Upon arrival equipment should be unloaded and staged in a way that supports the installation plan. This does not only speed up the installation process but also helps avoid unnecessary risks to equipment.
A well-planned relocation plan finds the most efficient way to conduct relocation while producing contingencies to help avoid unnecessary delays.
Decommissioning and Rigging the Equipment
Once the relocation plan is finalized, equipment can be prepared for removal. Proper documentation is critical at this point to ensure smooth recommissioning at the new facility.
Heavy machinery must be handled according to its characteristics and the limitations of both facilities such as entryways as well as load bearing capacities of floors, ramps, and other structures. This is where qualified rigging crews come in to evaluate the equipment, access points, and what kind of rigging hardware is appropriate for which piece of equipment based on actual conditions.
Decommissioning and removal needs to be well coordinated and follow the established schedule so that machinery can be taken out of production in the proper sequence to minimize downtime.
Coordinating Transport and Staging
Once equipment has been removed, transportation and staging become the next links in the relocation process. Transport schedules need to align with both the removal schedule and readiness of the destination facility. A road survey and special permits may be necessary for wide or tall loads. Meanwhile additional paperwork is necessary for cross-border relocations.
Staging is particularly important when multiple machines are being relocated at once.
Positioning, Installation, and Commissioning
Positioning goes hand-in hand with commissioning. By positioning equipment within tight tolerances, and verifying every measurement, problems can be avoided downstream. All equipment must be leveled and anchored to rated specification to ensure long-term stability and performance.
Precision here supports the commissioning process through to startup giving the commissioning team confidence by verifying final alignment and providing complete documentation.
Getting any part of plant relocation services wrong can result in costly unforeseen downtime, particularly if there are problems with paperwork, equipment is damaged during the move, or worker safety is compromised at any point. What’s more, equipment that is not properly positioned, aligned, and recommissioned may compromise its useful life.
Minimizing unnecessary downtime starts with treating relocation as a coordinated process from initial planning through rigging, transportation, installation, and commissioning. AK Industrial Contractors, Inc provides turnkey plant relocation services across North America. Visit AKIC.us to learn more about its plant relocation capabilities or call 501-268-7827.