Long distance logistics: Moving your machinery to a new location without damage or loss
Moving your business to another location is challenging enough in its own right but if you have to transport some heavy, and sometimes sensitive, equipment, you will need to find a way to do that without causing any damage.
Moving any sort of machinery is clearly more complicated than simply boxing everything up and packing it into the back of a truck, which is why you need a strategy to move everything as seamlessly as possible.
Here is an insight into how to plan your move, what legal and technical aspects to consider, complying with regulations, and an overview of the type of transportation you might be using.
A lot at stake
It goes without saying that the equipment and machinery that you use is vital to your business and any loss or damage that you suffer is going to have an impact on your ability to carry on where you left off, in the short-term at least.
The stakes are high and you will need to plan your move down to the very last detail. You might also need to use the specialised services of someone who knows all about machinery moving.
The distance you are traveling is almost irrelevant. You could even move some equipment to another location within your existing facility and still cause damage if it isn’t done right.
It requires a combination of the right specialised equipment to be able to cope, combined with the knowledge required to take your machinery to a new location without it being damaged in any way.
Before you hit the road
An integral part of your planning process will be to make sure that you arrange the right haulage option for any heavy equipment that you need to transport.
Unforeseen accidents on the road and damage to your equipment caused by improper handling and unsuitable transportation, are all things that can happen if there are any holes in your plans.
It is best to talk to a transportation specialist who has previous experience of moving the same sort of items that you have in your business setup. If you have to transport some long and heavy loads, it is clear that a standard trailer is unlikely to be up to the job.
It might be that you will need to arrange an extendable trailer to accommodate the extra length.
Another consideration that has to be talked about in your plans is the characteristics of your heavy cargo. Not all machinery is a conventional shape or has its weight distributed evenly, which means that you will need to compensate for potential movement when you hit the road.
Paperwork in order
You will need to arrange any necessary paperwork for your journey.
If you have to transport pressure vessels, for instance, you must keep a record of the type of chemical located within the vessel, plus details of its dimensions, weight, and any other relevant data that you might need to produce to authorities when asked to do so.
Aside from specialised items that might need specific paperwork completed to be able to transport them, you will also have to ensure that your entire transportation process satisfies all the current legal requirements.
It is possible that if you are moving from one city to another or across a state border you may need to complete some paperwork to comply with regulations. You might not need to do this with whatever you are transporting but it makes sense to check beforehand whether this is the case or not.
Fit for purpose
It shouldn’t be too difficult to find a transport solution for your move but the choice of equipment carriers and trailers available can be confusing unless you know exactly what you are looking for.
A B-train or B-Double as it might also be called is two trailers that are linked together and this could be a good option if you want smoother gear handling as a result of air-ride suspension.
If you have a large amount of freight that is all going to the same location at the same time, which it would be when you are moving to a new business location, this might be the option that would work for you.
Other options include tilt tray trucks, which have a flat platform that can be tilted for ease of use, and you might even need to arrange a pilot car if you have a very large piece of equipment that will be classed as an oversize load.
As you can see when you start to look deeper, there is a solution available for your moving requirements, but you need to know what you need and how to put your plan into action.
Tony Cygan is the business manager for heavy industrial rigging contractor providing rigging, relocation and dismantlement services in Mid-Atlantic region and nationally. Value-added services include transport, warehousing & storage, crating and packaging. Machine and equipment sales and liquidation services provided through A&A Machinery Sales, Inc.
