Relocating your industrial facilities is no small task, and the managing leaders responsible for such a relocation project have to spend several long nights worrying about the details. So, this post will offer you a step-by-step guide to industrial facilities relocation.

Why Industrial Facility Relocation Is A Multi-Faceted Process

You’re probably thinking about scaling your business or improving your efficiency if you’re relocating your manufacturing facilities. Why you’re relocating brings forth a host of challenges other than the move itself, such as examining processes and shifting resources to look for ways to improve.  In short, there’s a lot of stress involved when there are so many moving parts, and so it always helps to have a plan. However, the process of industrial facility relocation is a multi-faceted and complicated one. It requires project managers to carry out numerous tasks successfully to achieve a fullyfunctional and smooth relocation.  Whether you’re relocating your entire facilities or simply moving single units of machinery, meticulous planning and specific management are required to stay on schedule and within the budget. It’s also crucial that you maintain a regulated and safe work environment throughout the process.  For instance, protocols need to be followed, including equipment and electrical test certification, risk assessments, method statements, lifting guidelines, and individual training records.  All these elements are crucial in industrial facility relocation projects and can’t be effectively completed without the expertise, knowledge, and experience of commercial relocation services. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Industrial Facility Relocation

So, when it comes to moving your industrial facility, you should follow these steps to ensure a smooth and efficient transition!

1. Start planning as early as possible

Every minute that you can spare for planning such a facility move is required. Industrial facility relocation in California or anywhere else is a big project and as such requires careful thinking, especially if your intention is to keep the production up and running even during the transition period and need to avoid downtime as much as possible. Just like with other office moves, planning in advance will give you enough time and foresight to address common issues and have solutions prepared for problems when they arise.  Prior communication regarding the move to all stakeholders such as workers, clients, and investors is also crucial. Clients will want to know how they can reach you or when and where they can expect their shipments. Similarly, investors would want to know what significant changes they can expect to the business. Moreover, workers should know about the plan as well. What their duties will be during the relocation period and how they will travel to and from the new facility are some of the important issues that should be addressed beforehand. Image Filename: industrial-facility-relocation Image Alt Text: Industrial facility relocation in Sacramento

1. Manage all the business records and inventory requirements

When you’re relocating everything from one facility to another, it’s easy for some things to get lost during the process. Therefore, it’s crucial that you make sure all the business records of your company are in order. You need a plan for how these crucial documents will be moved to the new facility. Moreover, they need to be organized and intact once they reach the new facility. It’s also important to create backups of the important files just to be extra safe.

1. Identify the professionals you will need for facilities relocation

Once the planning phase is complete, facility and property managers need to look for commercial office movers and installers to carry out the relocation. It’s important not to just look for nearby commercial relocation services but also to ensure that they’re experienced professionals. For instance, for industrial equipment relocation in San Francisco, San Jose, or Sacramento, don’t just search industrial machinery movers near me. Instead, you should assess their credentials and ensure that they offer the specialized services that your project needs. In California, for example, Valley Relocation won’t just move your facility;they also offer facilities support services. These services will give you scope to do more than just employ workers to move your equipment. Instead, you can get expert professionals to assemble and disassemble your equipment, and handle tasks such as cubicle installation.

1. Prepare the layout for your new facility

Preparing the layout drawings for the new facility means you’ll need your current layout drawings for reference. This is the point where you can decide if you want to make any changes to the location of your equipment and workspaces in the facility.

1. Assess your equipment and plan necessary supply chain changes

Before you start the relocation process, it’s important to assess your machinery and its condition. This will allow you to make decisions regarding the repair and replacement of certain equipment if it’s required. Moreover, this is also a good time to evaluate your supply chain and see if any changes are required. If you feel like the supply chain efficiency can be improved, this is the perfect time to plan and execute such changes.

1. Create a relocation schedule and timeline

Once you’ve prepared the plan and decided what changes you need to make to the layout and supply chain, it’s time to plan your moving schedule. This should include a timeline with exact details about what will happen when.  If you plan on keeping the downtime to a minimum, it’s important to create a foolproof schedule and, more importantly, that you and your organization stick to it. For instance, you can use the staggered approach of moving equipment to keep some of the machinery running.

1. Make sure all instructions are clear and followed earnestly

Clear work instructions are important if you want the relocation process to go smoothly. However, if you’re hiring experts for the move, you won’t need to give specific instructions. Instead, you’ll just communicate what needs to be done, and they’ll get it done!

About the Author

This post is brought to you by the relocation experts at Valley Relocation in California, a full-service moving company. The Bay Area movers offer comprehensive relocation services, IT equipment and industrial machinery moving and storage, and specialized logistics.  Check out Valley Relocation if you’re looking for commercial relocation and facilities support services in California. Contact now to learn more about their services.