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Plant relocation: how to dismantle a machine in one continent and start it up in another one

Upgrades & Retrofits | Marco Nottoli, 14 July 2020

[UPDATED ON FEBRUARY 2023]

There are situations in which tissue, paper and nonwovens machinery must be relocated from one plant to another. Perhaps a machine has been sold and needs to be moved to the buyer’s location, or the plant relocates its entire facility and has to move all of its machinery. Whatever the reason, plant relocation is a huge task.

 

Tips when planning a plant relocation

When you are planning a relocation of equipment or machinery, you need to be thorough.

Here are some aspects to consider:

  • Do a complete overview of the condition of the machinery to be moved to ensure it is in good working condition and worth the cost and effort to move it.
  • Be sure to obtain detailed layout diagrams of the said machine and the facility from which it is being moved. If they aren’t available, they should be made. This will give you the ability to plan the layout for the relocation in the new facility and will ensure operators can plan for the utilities that will be required to run the machine.
  • Keep a database of all machine information and data that is gathered prior to the move, such as the machine ID or asset tag and all utility and control tie points.
  • Develop a plan that includes a schedule of the relocation for every single part of the machinery.
  • Be sure to use an Equipment Relocation Work Instructions (ERWI) if you want to use contractors to perform the relocation. This is the document that will include all relevant information and all instructions for the handling of the machinery.
  • Make sure that there is adequate coordination between the plant manager and the utilities installer and plant relocation contractor.
  • Make sure requirements for testing and commissioning of the equipment are clearly defined.

Case study: successful relocation of a spooling machine

While relocation of large machinery and equipment is a daunting task, A.Celli's Customer Care department is up to that challenge thanks to the extensive experience gained by working with numerous companies to ensure efficient industrial plant retrofits and smooth relocations. Here is one of our success stories.

Customer's challenge

In this case, one of our customers had the necessity to move a particularly complex six-head spooling machine from one country to another. Since the company wanted a short downtime, the relocation had to be done as quickly as possible.

After a first contact and an assesment of the needed activities, we set to work to find the best method to achieve the established goal.

A.Celli plant relocation

When a company request our plant relocation service, we work with the customer  from the initial planning and dismantling to the startup of the machinery in the new plant

The relocation process for this particular customer was overseen by A.Celli and included:

  • The disassembly of the machine
  • Shipping arrangements
  • The installation, commissioning and start-up of the machine at the new location
  • Training

A.Celli Nonwovens' Customer Care department worked closely with the customer’s mechanics and electricians to ensure the plant relocation went smoothly. In addition, the machine was covered under a 12-month warranty related to the spooling process nominal performance.

The results

The machine relocation went off without a hitch and at no risk to the customer. We were able to cover the entire process and ensure full operation of the spooling machine, carrying out parallel training activities for the company's staff on its functioning. 

If you are in need of a plant relocation, contact us today for a free consultation!

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