Do You Really Need an Industrial Plant Relocation Consultant?

As an industrial company, you’re used to managing big projects. Whether it’s manufacturing high-quality products for your customers or installing industrial components on job sites, project management is a critical factor in your success.

An industrial plant relocation, though, is its own kind of large-scale project. It can bring your business to a grinding halt and it can expose your products, inventory, and machinery to a wide range of risks. A plant relocation has many components and stages, and if any phase goes off track, it could threaten the project’s outcome.

One way to minimize these risks and improve your odds of success is to work with an experienced industrial plant relocation consultant. They can use their experience to help you avoid common pitfalls and achieve your objectives.

Of course, you may feel that your internal project managers have the skills and knowledge needed to oversee the relocation. You might view an outside consultant as an unnecessary expense. Do you really need to bring in an outside party?

Below are five reasons why an industrial plant relocation expert might be right for you. If you’re on the fence about hiring an outside consultant, review the items below. Have some initial conversations with a few industrial relocation companies. You may find that an outside consultant could be the answer for your upcoming move into a new facility.

They help you develop a detailed, finely-tuned plan.

The key to plant relocation success lies in the planning. A plan relocation is a complicated operation. A detailed plan helps you set a precise schedule and provide clear guidance to your contractors and movers.

Of course, if you’ve never relocated before, you may not know what a detailed relocation plan should look like. That’s where a plant relocation consultant can add significant value. They’ve developed many relocation plans. They can create a budget and project schedule. They can audit your inventory and machinery to identify potential risks. They can create work instructions for your team. They develop the plan so you and your team are ready when relocation day arrives.

They minimize risks and protect quality.

A crate of inventory or costly supplies gets damaged on the way to the new facility. An expensive piece of equipment is damaged somewhere in the process. The floor in your new facility suffers cracks because it can’t support the weight of all the machinery. These are actual examples of risks and damage that happen all the time in plant relocations. They’re the result of a lack of planning and the absence of a risk audit.

A risk audit is a physical inspection of all items that will be included in the relocation. Your relocation consultant analyzes your items and then develops strategies to protect quality. Those strategies could include specialized packaging, precise assembly instructions, or a schedule that reduces opportunities for risk. They work on your behalf to make sure everything arrives at the new facility in one piece.

They’re your partner in risk and liability.

When damage does happen during a relocation, who is responsible? If you’ve managed the entire process internally, you’re the only one exposed to liability. However, if you’re working with an outside consultant, they may share in that risk and liability with you.

For example, some industrial plan consultants carry or offer insurance to help protect your machinery, inventory, and other goods. They also may help you recapture losses if damage is caused by an external contractor. A plant relocation consultant acts as your partner to limit losses and minimize your risk exposure.

They allow you to focus on more important priorities.

Your business doesn’t stop just because you’re relocating to a new facility. You still have customers to serve and products to develop. You may not have the luxury to pause those activities during your relocation.

Your plant relocation consultant acts as your proxy during the relocation process so you can focus your attention and energy on running your business. They can even help you develop a schedule that allows you to continue operating through the relocation process.

It’s possible that you’re best served by managing the relocation internally. However, it’s worth it to investigate the benefits of using an outside consultant. Talk to a few relocation consultants who serve companies in your industry. They can advise you on the risks you may face and how their services could help you keep your industrial plant relocation on track.