To remain competitive in today’s economy, it can take bold moves. This is literally the case when it comes time to relocate a process line.

Reasons for Line Relocation

TMS LocationProcess lines typically are moved when companies get sold or acquired. It makes sense when brands are undergoing buyouts or mergers that the line already owned and in use gets relocated—even if it means moving equipment a long way, like from a plant out west in Arizona to a Midwest facility in Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa or Illinois. Moving a process line is not like moving grandma’s china in a typical home move. It requires more special consideration and handling.

Must-have Milestone Scheduling

Planning is paramount with process line relocation in order to compensate for the fact that the equipment will not be in service throughout the duration of the move. If transport is scheduled to take a week, for example, that means a brand must build a bridge of inventory to cover a week of downtime. It also means the mechanical contracting company servicing the move must do so within the planned amount of time. Otherwise the brand will be at risk of running out of inventory, which can negatively affect the whole sales process, from customer loyalty to the bottom line.

One Mechanical Contracting Crew is Better Than Two

While equipment must be deconstructed and palletized for transport, it must also be responsibly reassembled in an orderly and effective fashion once it reaches its destination. In order to guarantee the job is done correctly, the mechanical services crew at the start of the line relocation should follow the system to the new location, where it then reinstalls the system. Sometimes a second crew of mechanical service contractors may be hired to greet the arriving line. However, the success rate of having the same crew strike and set the process line back up is monumental.

Experienced Mechanical Services Serve Best

Planning and executing process line relocation can be complex and technical so it’s essential experienced mechanical contractors do the job. In addition to reassembling, they must plan disassembling the line and properly loading it onto the truck. The more effectively a truck is loaded, the more efficiently it can be unloaded and the line put back together so it is up and running smoothly again. Otherwise, a large area may be required at the other end of the journey to first lay down the equipment, exposing it to the elements and taking extra time before the equipment can be reassembled.

Companies tempted to cut corners by not hiring experienced mechanical contractors at the start of process line relocation will likely to regret their decision since, odds are, it will cost them more time and money down the road. If your facility is planning on moving equipment, plan ahead with the experienced mechanical contracting firm, TMS Inc., by visiting tmsmech.com.