A move from one plant to a new plant can be a very large undertaking for any company. Doing so requires a lot of planning and advanced preparations if you want the relocation to go smoothly. If you're company is thinking about relocating plants in the future, use the following tips:
Obtain Updated Layouts of the New Plant
It is very important to have up to date layouts of the new plant as early as possible. This will allow management and engineers the time needed to determine where the equipment will be placed, as well as for planning utilities that will be needed to operate the equipment. If accurate layouts can not be provided, arrange to have them developed prior to the relocation.
Examine Equipment
A relocation to a new plant is the perfect time to thoroughly inspect all of your company's equipment. Make sure that the current condition of each piece of heavy equipment is noted; during this time you can also decide which equipment is worth keeping, what needs to be refurbished, and which pieces are at the end of their lifespan and need to be replaced. It is also a good idea to take photographs of all of the company's heavy equipment before relocating.
Obtain Approvals
Depending on what type of industry your company is in, you may need to obtain permits, licenses, or other approvals from government agencies before you can relocate your plant. Since completing paperwork and having permits and licenses processed can take a while, make sure you assign these tasks to someone as soon as your are certain that the plant relocation will be happening.
Create a Moving Plan
Transporting large pieces of heavy equipment from one plant to another is a complicated process. While planning your relocation, contact several companies that offer plant relocation transportation services to get quotes. Ideally, you should hire a company that is experienced in transporting the type of equipment that your company uses and that has the proper trucks to complete the move while transporting very heavy equipment.
Inspection
Before beginning the relocation, make sure a representative from your company thoroughly inspects the new plant location to determine whether or not it is ready to be moved into. If possible, have your plant engineer visit the new plant as well so that he or she can make sure that the facility is ready for your company's equipment.
