Navigating an International Machinery Redistribution Programme During COVID-19

Project Snapshot

Sector: Baby Care Products (Plastics Manufacturing)

Project: Full factory relocation and asset redistribution

Locations: Suffolk, UK to Netherlands, Indonesia, and Brazil

Timescale: 9 months

Challenges involved: COVID-19 restrictions and post-Brexit international relocation

The Challenge

Our client operated a UK‑based manufacturing facility producing baby care products through injection moulding and packaging processes. Following Brexit, a strategic decision was made to close the UK operation and redistribute production across several existing international manufacturing sites in Europe, Asia, and South America.

We were selected as the sole lift and shift partner, and the only team permitted to carry out machinery movements on site, due to an established relationship built through previous OEM projects. This trust later extended to supporting the client as an end user, managing internal plant movements across their global manufacturing network.

The scope of works involved the relocation of a wide range of production assets, including:

Injection moulding machines
Packaging and labelling equipment
Ovens and kilns

The machinery previously handled raw materials and produced finished baby care products, meaning cleanliness, handling standards, and contamination control were critical throughout the project.

Packing requirements varied depending on destination. Some machines required specialist export preparation, while others were transferred into our warehouse for controlled packing due to clean‑environment constraints within areas of the factory.

The project complexity was further increased by:

Multiple international destinations with differing logistical and regulatory requirements
Post-Brexit customs procedures and export documentation
COVID-19 restrictions, requiring strict hygiene protocols and controlled site access
Severely limited international travel, preventing overseas teams from attending site

Our Solution: Experienced, Risk-Led Planning for Multi-Site Global Machinery Logistics

We delivered this project across two defined phases:

Selective Relocation Phase – identifying, preparing and relocating specific machines to designated international sites.
Final Clearance Phase – removal of remaining assets via auction following production wind-down.

To do this, we managed all lift and shift activities for machines being relocated, including transport coordination, export documentation, and sea freight arrangements. To ensure that the correct machines went to the designated countries, significant in depth planning was required. Regular coordination meetings were central to success – many conducted in person before online meetings became commonplace. Due to the pandemic, extra hygiene precautions had to be taken during these meetings, as well as when on site.

To manage lift and shift requirements, our equipment selection included VersaLifts, FLTs, and HIAB vehicles for larger machines, matched carefully to each asset’s handling requirements.

The project also benefited from strong technical oversight, ensuring accurate sequencing, realistic timeframes, and the safe handling of complex machinery. Simon Rose provided valuable technical input throughout the programme, drawing on his extensive experience to accurately assess dismantling requirements and durations. This expertise played a key role in effective planning and smooth execution during a challenging time period.

Despite the combined challenges of Brexit and pandemic restrictions, the asset relocation programme was delivered without disruption to downstream factory operations. All equipment was successfully relocated to the correct international destinations, export documentation was managed accurately, and hygiene standards were maintained throughout.

This project demonstrates our ability to plan, manage, and deliver complex, multi‑country factory relocations under exceptional conditions, reinforcing our position as a trusted partner for global plastics manufacturers navigating large‑scale operational change.