Machinery Moving and Plant Relocation for Manufacturers
Moving machinery comes with two key concerns: ensuring expert handling of complex equipment and keeping production downtime to a minimum. AIS Vanguard moves machinery for manufacturers across the UK, from single machines and production lines through to complete plant relocations, managing every stage of the move from initial site survey and decommissioning through to transportation and recommissioning.
Our experienced teams, specialist lifting equipment, and project management capability let us manage complex machinery moves around your production requirements, with phased, carefully planned relocations that help to minimise disruption.
Whether you are moving one machine, reconfiguring a line, or relocating an entire operation, we build the plan around your equipment, sites, and production schedule.
Our Machinery Moving Process
Our team manages every stage of the move, coordinating specialist lifting, transport, engineering and installation to keep the relocation safe, controlled and efficient.
1. Survey and planning
We assess both locations, access, lifting requirements, and site constraints, then develop a detailed machinery moving and relocation project plan and sequence of works.
2. Decommissioning and removal
We safely disconnect, dismantle, and prepare equipment for removal, using our mechanical, electrical, lifting, and rigging expertise.
3. Lifting and transport
We safely lift, handle, and transport machinery using specialist equipment, from individual machines and production lines to large-scale plant moves.
4. Reinstallation
At the new location, we position, align, and level equipment to the required layout and manufacturer specifications, completing mechanical and electrical connections where required.
5. Testing and recommissioning
We test and commission the installation before handover to ensure the equipment is ready for operation.
Where possible, we phase relocations or work outside normal operating hours to minimise production downtime.
Equipment and Capability
From individual machines to complete production lines and robotic cells, we have the equipment and expertise to manage manufacturing-scale relocations.
Our wholly owned fleet includes heavy goods vehicles, specialist cranes, forklift trucks, and hydraulic lifting equipment capable of lifting more than 450 tonnes.
Our industrial manufacturing services include machinery removal and relocation, heavy lifting, machinery installation, mechanical and electrical engineering, transportation, decommissioning, commissioning, and project management.
Industries We Serve
We support machinery moves and plant relocations across a range of sectors, including:
- Aerospace: Moving large, high-value machinery in tightly controlled production environments.
- Automotive: Handling complex production lines, automation, and robotic equipment requiring careful sequencing.
- Defence: Specialist machinery and equipment moves requiring careful planning around site requirements.
- Food and beverage: Moving production and packaging equipment often requiring work around live operations.
- Pharmaceuticals: Machinery relocations requiring careful planning around facility and operational requirements.
- Steel and heavy manufacturing: Large and heavy equipment requiring specialist lifting and handling.
- Printing and paper: Large production machinery and interconnected processes requiring careful relocation planning.
How We Helped Stolle
The AIS Vanguard general manufacturing team assisted with a 12-month, £4.7m canning plant installation for Stolle.
The project required electrical services, rigging, lifting of various pieces of machinery and equipment, and transport. It also involved installing a mezzanine floor and platforms, with a total weight of approximately 250 tonnes.
The scale and duration of the project demonstrate the importance of managing multiple workstreams as part of a coordinated programme, rather than treating machinery lifting and transportation as separate activities.
Why Choose AIS Vanguard?
- 50+ years of experience: We have decades of experience delivering machinery moves, installations and factory relocations across a wide range of manufacturing environments.
- End-to-end capability: Our in-house teams cover project management, lifting, rigging, transport, mechanical and electrical engineering, installation, and commissioning.
- Specialist equipment: We operate a wholly owned fleet of heavy goods vehicles, specialist cranes, forklifts, and hydraulic lifting equipment, with lifting capability exceeding 450 tonnes.
- UK-wide coverage: Our network of UK branches combines national capability with local teams, allowing us to deliver projects wherever you operate.
- Dedicated project management: A dedicated project team coordinates every stage, from surveys and risk assessments through to installation, commissioning, and handover.
- Safety-led approach: We build detailed planning, risk assessments, and method statements into every project to protect your people, equipment, and production throughout the move.
Plan Your Manufacturing Plant Relocation
If you are planning a factory move, production line relocation, or manufacturing site consolidation, the first step is understanding what the project involves.
Book a site survey with AIS Vanguard, and our team can assess your equipment, sites, access, and operational requirements before developing a bespoke relocation plan.
Get in Contact and See How We Can Help You
More Sectors:
Areospace
Food & Beverage
Automotive
Petrochemical
Pharmaceutical
Packaging
Warehousing
Heavy Industry
Defence
Energy
Frequently Asked Questions
We provide a comprehensive suite of industrial services for the general manufacturing sector, including machinery installation, relocation, and decommissioning. Our expertise covers everything from moving single assets to managing full turnkey factory relocations. We serve diverse industries such as printing, paper making, steel, and processing, tailoring our solutions to the specific operational needs of each client.
We operate and maintain a wholly-owned fleet of specialist lifting equipment, including heavy goods vehicles, various cranes, and forklift trucks. Our hydraulic lifting systems are capable of handling loads exceeding 450 tonnes. This in-house resource allows us to execute complex, large-scale projects, such as installing 250-tonne mezzanine floors and platforms, with total safety and precision.
Yes. We provide full project management and CDM services, acting as a single point of accountability for your project. Our in-house electrical and mechanical engineering teams handle the technical aspects of disconnecting, dismantling, and re-commissioning equipment. By managing the consultancy, planning, and execution phases, we ensure facility upgrades are delivered on time and within budget.
The timescale depends on the plant’s size and complexity, the number of machines being relocated, the distance between sites, and the requirements of the new facility. We establish the programme during the planning and survey stages so we can sequence the relocation around your operational requirements.
We plan the relocation around your production schedule. Where practical, we can phase the work so equipment is moved in stages, using shutdowns and out-of-hours work to reduce disruption. The earlier we can understand your production requirements, the more effectively we can build them into the relocation programme.