A new production line is being added. An older machine must be removed. The production layout needs to be optimized to shorten travel distances and improve throughput times. What looks like an internal matter on paper is, in practice, a technically challenging project with clear requirements for planning, equipment, and skilled personnel.
The relocation of machinery within a facility is one of the most common reasons for people to inquire about it at A & P Industriemontage. We have been carrying out such projects since 2004, from the initial assessment to commissioning at the new location within the facility.
Intra-facility machine relocation, machine transfer, and machine movement within a plant all describe the same process: a machine or piece of equipment is moved from one location to another within the same facility. No change of location, no use of public transportation routes, and no customs clearance.
What doesn’t change as a result: the technical effort involved. Dismantling, in-house transport, reassembly, utility connections, alignment, and calibration: All of this is just as necessary for a ten-meter-long hall as it is for a move across Germany. Anyone who underestimates this risks machine damage, production downtime, and subsequent safety hazards.
In industrial practice, there are a handful of situations that repeatedly lead to internal relocations:
Material flows are being reevaluated, travel distances shortened, and workstations brought closer together. The result: Machines must change their positions.
A new piece of equipment is being added. Existing machines must be moved or repositioned so that the line can operate.
An older machine is being replaced. Before the new one can be installed, the old one must be properly dismantled and removed.
Two production areas will be merged, and a new area will be set up in an existing facility. Machinery must be adapted to the new layout.
Changes in occupational safety or ergonomic requirements make a different setup necessary.
Production continues while part of the facility is being restructured. Precise scheduling is especially important here.
“Internal” sounds less significant than it actually is. In practice, internal relocations often involve exactly the same requirements as external ones—and sometimes even more challenging ones.
Narrow aisles, low clearance heights, and existing rows of machinery that cannot be moved. These factors severely limit the choice of transport equipment. A forklift isn’t always the solution.
Moving heavy machinery on an unknown indoor floor surface is a risk. At the new installation site, the load-bearing capacity must be checked, as must the floor quality for the foundation.
Vibrations caused by lifting operations, dust generation, noise, and safety distances from operating equipment: All of these factors must be coordinated to ensure that the relocation does not disrupt or endanger the rest of the operation.
Many manufacturing facilities can only relocate machinery during narrow time windows—between shifts, during scheduled maintenance shutdowns, or on weekends. This requires thorough advance planning.
If the machine requires a foundation at its new location or if ground anchors need to be relocated, this must be planned in advance—not during the relocation process.
Moving machines within the facility means that most of these factors apply simultaneously, in a confined space, and often under time pressure.
Before disassembly, the machine is fully documented: technical condition, media plans, installation dimensions, foundation conditions, and photographic documentation of all connections and positions. This documentation is not merely a formality; it serves as the basis for error-free reassembly.
The new installation location is determined, and the transport route through the warehouse is analyzed. Bottlenecks are identified, floor load-bearing capacities are checked, and the required lifting equipment is determined. Depending on the weight and available space, various systems may be considered: lifting frames, heavy-duty rollers, air cushion technology, or electric forklifts.
The machine is disconnected from all media in the correct order: electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and cooling water. Errors in this sequence can result in consequential damage to the machine, the lines, or both. A & P provides mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical disassembly services all under one roof.
Transportation within the facility is no simple task. Heavy-duty casters allow heavy equipment to be moved across smooth floors without having to disassemble the machine itself. Air cushion technology works where heavy-duty casters fail due to uneven floors. Lifting frames are used to accommodate differences in height or for operation in confined spaces. Choosing the right system determines the time required and the risk of damage.
This is the most technically challenging step of the entire relocation process. A machine that is not precisely aligned after being moved will produce parts outside of tolerance—sometimes immediately apparent, sometimes only after weeks. A & P aligns machines according to the installation plan, using precision leveling, a theodolite, or laser measurement. Precise alignment and calibration are among our teams’ core competencies.
All utilities will be professionally reconnected at the new location: electricity, compressed air, cooling water, and hydraulics. This will be followed by a comprehensive functional test of all systems before production is authorized.
A & P supports the restart: test run, machine break-in, and production quality checks. If necessary, our technicians remain on site until the system is producing reliably and in sync with the production schedule.
Relocating a machine—even if it is purely an internal move—is not a process that has no implications under safety regulations. Operators have clear obligations.
As soon as a machine is moved to a new location, it is considered to have been modified under the Industrial Safety Regulation. This means that a new risk assessment must be conducted before the machine is put back into service. Electrical equipment must be inspected in accordance with DGUV Regulation 3 (formerly BGV A3).
The new installation location, any changes to utility connections, and the inspections performed must be documented to serve as proof for authorities and workers’ compensation associations.
If environmental conditions change at the new location—for example, due to different soil conditions, new neighboring machinery, or changes to access routes—an updated risk assessment is required.
A & P performs safety inspections in accordance with DGUV as a standalone service and can carry them out immediately following the relocation.
There are cases in which a company’s own staff can realistically handle a machine relocation: small, lightweight machines; short distances; no foundation required; no utility line modifications; and sufficient in-house qualified personnel.
In most industrial projects, the reality is different. An external service provider like A & P makes sense when:
A & P assigns a dedicated point of contact for every project, from the initial site visit through to commissioning. No need to coordinate between different trades. No turf wars between electricians and mechanics. One team that can do both.
Based on more than 20 years of experience in industrial assembly, we see certain mistakes time and time again:
Media plans are missing, and installation dimensions were never recorded. Dismantling begins without a basis, and reassembly turns into detective work.
The machine has been removed, but the distance to the new location hasn’t been measured. You don’t realize there’s a bottleneck until the machine is already halfway through.
This is a real risk, especially in older indoor facilities. In the worst-case scenario, the floor could give way.
Hydraulic lines disconnected while under pressure, coolant not completely drained, electrical connections disconnected in the wrong order. Any of these errors can damage the machine.
After the relocation, the machine is set up “roughly.” A few weeks later, quality issues arise in production, the cause of which is not immediately apparent.
The machine is running again, but the DGUV inspection following the relocation was never performed. In the event of damage, this could have consequences for the operator’s liability.
A & P Industriemontage provides a full-service machine relocation solution. Our teams handle mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical work, so you don’t have to coordinate multiple service providers.
Are you planning to relocate machinery in your production facility? Contact us. We’ll visit your site and provide specific advice on the procedure and implementation.
Even when there are only a few meters of floor space available, moving a machine is not something you can just do on the side. Professional execution of planning, alignment, utility connections, and safety inspections protects the machine’s value, production time, and personnel. A & P Industriemontage has been supporting machine relocations since 2004, with the goal of ensuring that the equipment runs just as reliably at its new location as it did before.
As a general rule, official approval is not required for relocations within a company, since no public traffic areas are used and there is no change in location. However, the following remain mandatory: updating the risk assessment for the machine at its new location and conducting a periodic inspection of electrical equipment in accordance with DGUV Regulation 3. Anyone who fails to take these steps after the relocation is not acting in compliance with the law and bears an increased liability risk in the event of damage.
That depends on the machine’s size, the scope of the equipment, and the available space in the facility. A single machine that does not require foundation work can often be relocated within a shift window of eight to twelve hours. More extensive relocations—involving multiple machines or requiring the rerouting of utility lines—require several days of planning and execution. A & P determines the timeframe following an on-site inspection to ensure your production schedule remains on track.
A new CE marking is generally not required as long as the machine is not significantly modified. However, the following applies: As soon as a machine is moved to a new location, the operator must verify whether the safety-related conditions at the new location have changed. The Industrial Safety Regulation requires an updated risk assessment. Electrical systems must be re-inspected in accordance with DGUV Regulation 3. A & P conducts these safety inspections with certified electricians and provides the necessary documentation.
Yes, that is possible—and in many projects, it is also necessary. However, it requires particularly careful planning: Safety distances from operating equipment, dust control, noise minimization, and clear time windows for lifting and transport operations must be established in advance. A & P has many years of experience with relocations during ongoing operations and coordinates every step with the production manager before work begins.
In industry terminology, both terms are often used interchangeably. The term “machine relocation” generally describes the entire process—that is, disassembly, transport, and reassembly—regardless of whether the destination is internal or external. “Machine relocation” or “machine move” refers to the same process with a focus on internal, on-site relocation. For A & P, this distinction makes no practical difference in the scope of services: planning, professional disassembly, transport, alignment, utility connections, and commissioning are always included.
At A&P Industriemontage, we support companies worldwide in the installation and commissioning of complex industrial plants. With our expertise and comprehensive range of services, we ensure efficient and safe production processes. Trust in our many years of experience, and let’s work together to successfully implement your projects.
