Having to undertake a factory relocation can be a logistical nightmare. Even thinking about how you’ll move hundreds – potentially thousands – of tons of machinery from one location to another, without entirely disrupting business for weeks, can be an overwhelming prospect.
Luckily, there are a number of tactics and services that can make the relocation process a lot less daunting. From proper planning to the importance of using a relocation specialist, here’s how you can keep factory downtime to an absolute minimum during the move.
Assess your operations
To start off, you need to assess how each element of your factory influences your ability to operate. Understand where bottlenecks emerge, which machines can be left out of service for a week without having an impact, and any other potentially important details.
This information can then help you to make a plan that results in minimal disruption, in part by facilitating the implementation of the following tactics:
Move critical machinery fast
In many cases, there will be just a few machines that need to be in operation every single day; with others, it might be more reasonable to operate without them for a week or so.
In your initial assessment, locate these critical machines, and then make sure that you prioritise their movement and operationality above those which are less critical.
Stockpile
It’s also often possible to stockpile to a certain extent, so that you can continue to operate even when production is paused. Even ramping up production rates by 15% for a few months beforehand can give you a certain amount of leeway, depending on the kind of operation you’re involved in, of course.
Duplicate
You may also find that you have duplicates of certain machines, or can afford to hire or invest in a duplicate for a certain amount of time. It’s worth comparing the potential losses you’ll suffer from complete downtime (including the less easily quantifiable reputational damage) with the costs of leasing duplicate machinery for a few weeks, before making your decision.
Using a relocation specialist
Even if you had all the time in the world, it would still be a good idea to also use the services of a heavy machinery relocation specialist like AIS Vanguard. You can emphasise how important it is that your factory suffers only minimal downtime, and then work together on a plan that incorporates some of the tactics mentioned above.
Using a service like this will result in operations going a lot faster, while also decreasing the probability that any of your machines are damaged during transit. The earlier you start working on a plan together, the better the chances are that you’ll be able to take care of everything according to schedule.
Reducing factory downtime during a relocation process is a multifaceted challenge, and one that needs to be met well in advance. Luckily, with the right planning, it should be possible to ensure the ongoing operation of your business even during these highly stressful times.
