Category: News

What is cross-docking and storage?

Cross-docking provides companies with a managed solution to co-ordinate the movement of machinery and heavy equipment. In the cross-docking process, a specialist cross-docking facility can oversee all aspects of a move to create a system that is efficient and causes minimal disruption.

Cross-docking companies can include whole project management or just certain stages of a move, with project planning, experienced crew, lifting equipment and transportation all included in the service. Additionally, one of the main advantages of cross-docking is the ability to safely store freight at a specialist warehouse for as long as needed.

In essence, cross-docking provides a managed end-to-end solution for companies needing to move heavy machinery or requiring heavy machinery storage. It is particularly suited for factory relocations or medical system relocations, where greater planning and attention to detail is required.

What are the pros and cons of using cross-docking and storage services?

Cross-docking can provide a range of business benefits – from the expertise of working with a specialist in machinery moving, to the storage solutions, safety and efficiency of a move.

Some of the main advantages include:

A managed solution

Experts in machinery moving will co-ordinate and oversee all or part of a move, ensuring it runs as smoothly, safely and efficiently as possible. They will liaise with each party to ensure the various stages align, and arrange crew, lifting equipment and transportation to fulfil the job in a safe and timely manner..

Short or long-term storage

Finding storage units for heavy machinery can be challenging. Machinery movers can safely store freight in a dedicated warehouse should any delays or disruptions occur. All the crew and specialist lifting equipment required to safely move the machinery into storage are included in the service.

Safety and care

Cross-docking provides minimal handling of freight by one company, ensuring your valuable assets are taken care of as safely as possible. Site surveys, risk assessments, specialist packing and extensive protocols prevent damage and injury, with completion of paperwork part of the service.

Skills and expertise

When you choose a specialist cross-docking service, you will have a team of highly skilled staff to effectively oversee a move, with project managers and various skilled crew to deliver a move that prioritises safety. complete sites or business units.

Management of complex projects

The reality of moving machinery is complex, and not every move is straightforward, particularly in urban areas, or where there are multiple components or delays in the chain. Machinery movers can oversee complex moves that require a greater level of planning and detail.

Flexibility

The cross-docking process allows for greater flexibility in a move, with a system that can respond to last-minute delays or changes-in-plan with minimal disruption. Choosing an expert machine mover guarantees a more responsive and reactive service.
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Cost efficiency

Cross-docking isn’t necessarily the cheapest way to manage a move, and some companies may promise to do things cheaper. However, mistakes can be costly, and choosing a specialist in machinery moving helps to minimise delays and disruptions and reduces the risk of damage and injury.

Enhanced visibility and communication

The effective management of a move helps to create a more transparent process. A cross-docking service can act as a go-between, providing good communication throughout a project to ensure everything aligns and streamline the process.

Q. What is a Landoll PT40?
A. It looks like one of our Hoist heavy lifting forklifts. The biggest difference is that the main lifting arm is powered by a large single ram, like our JMG pick/carry crane.

Q. Why not buy another forklift or crane?
A. We have owned/operated these products for many years and whilst they are fantastic machines the Landoll can combine the best features of both. The hoists are great because they have great lifting capacity for such a compact truck but the reach on the jib attachment can be limited. The jib on the JMG provides much more reach/capacity but is less compact. So in short the Landoll has the advantage of the reach/capacity and compact design for working in a smaller space.

Q. How much can the PT40 lift?
A. This machine can be supplied with forks and/or jib so lift capacity will depend on which method is used and other factors like dimensions of the item being lifted, location of the lifting points and the environment we are working in. The maximum lift capacity is approx. 22,000kgs. Please contact our sales team who will be happy to provide copies of the duty charts.

Q. What other features does the Landoll have?
A. We have ordered some additional options which will aid the operator. Firstly, is a wireless remote control unit. All of our crane lorries and our JMG fleet have remote controls as well and this is a massive help for the operator. It gives them the opportunity to view the lift and have better visibility and communication with the rest of the lifting team. A manual Jib boom is fitted, providing neatly 1-metre of additional reach.

The PT40 also has a rear reversing camera, another feature that helps the operator to work safely. Fitted with a low RPM, LPG-powered engine means the truck is quieter than your typical forklift truck. The running gear, hydraulic and electrical systems are based on a simple design, meaning that routine maintenance is simple and increases reliability.

Q. What services will the PT40 be available for?
A. Like the rest of our in-house equipment, we expect it to be utilised in all 3 of our divisions – Transport, Projects and Medical. We can supply on a contract lift or hire with operator basis.

Reasons for relocating

A business may be inclined to relocate for several reasons. An international relocation can bring numerous benefits to a business: access to new markets, a greater labour pool and tax benefits are just a few. For some companies, it’s a lucrative and effective business decision, signifying undeniable business growth or gaining momentum in new regions. On the other hand, relocation may stem from a different business need. The economic climate has forced some businesses to relocate their assets and factories in order to downsize resources and maintain operations or find efficiencies by combining multiple locations and assets into a single entity.

Either way, without professional expertise and guidance, the impact of inevitable complexities may weigh down on any potential profitability and cause further concern among stakeholders.

How we help

Flegg’s project team continues to collaborate with a team of trusted partners. All are armed with specific expertise in customs, transport, and shipping of specialist cargo. Coupled with our in-house experts and resources including machine movers and lifting equipment; Flegg is well-placed to provide a comprehensive relocation service for small/single machine movements or for organisations looking to locate complete sites or business units.

In the past 18 months, we have completed several significant international factory re-locations; it’s fair to say that fulfilment has been more difficult than ever before.

Flegg has a team of experienced and knowledgeable in-house engineers available to support machinery dismantling and assembly activities. We can provide a range of packaging solutions dependent on environmental factors and transit duration.

In the past, the process was relatively straightforward in terms of planning and logistics.

Once the assets had been identified and a programme agreed upon, it was a simple case of removing the equipment from the factory, securing it onto a vehicle for safe transit and tracking to destination. Depending on the scope, we may also have arranged to provide engineering or lifting support at the receiving site – with locations all around the globe.

Unprecedented economic and political disruption has put pressure on all corners of the machinery moving industry. But we do not take disruption lightly. With this adversity has come newfound confidence and knowledge in our abilities to deliver, despite inevitable complexity. Complexity has forced us to hone our skills, improve our services, and expand our offering to further support our customers and ensure their businesses emerge from the relocation unscathed and thriving.

1.   Global leader critical power distribution – UK to Sweden

This high-profile project involved moving oversized, heavy, and valuable switchgear equipment from the UK to a receiving site in Sweden.

The receiving site was a brand-new facility. But the delivery and installation phase would see the switchgear arriving on-site during construction. The first challenge here being the trades and contractors present on site. So, it was vital that arrival on site was coordinated and managed properly.

The layout of the site and the building entrance meant that the equipment had to arrive in sequence to avoid delays. It was agreed that the trailers would be held at an off-site location and called in as required. This involved hours of logistics and planning, as our team had to consider the legislation for oversized loads across various countries.

As well as physically getting the equipment transported to Sweden, Flegg was also required to provide lifting and handling services to offload and move the items safely into the building. This was an exciting element of the project, and it led to Flegg designing and providing a lifting frame used in Sweden to expedite the lifting activities.

Our team were also involved with the design of the switchgear and provided advice on the location and types of lifting points, as well as tie-downs required for securing onto trailers.

Now for the biggest challenge of the project – and one that was completely unforeseen: the COVID-19 pandemic. This came shortly after being awarded the project and naturally led to significant delays in the site construction.

The delays also pushed the project outside of the Brexit deadline, adding the extra complications of freight documents and documentation for British workers in EU territory. Not to mention the ever-changing situation with Covid travel restrictions.

This added a great deal of additional complexity and risk to the project for all involved. But thankfully, through collaboration, experience and continuous communication with the client and third parties, the job was safely completed on time without any significant delays.

You can read the full case study here.

3.   Multinational supplier of cardboard packaging – Scotland

This project was for an existing client of ours; a multinational manufacturer of cardboard packaging products. It involved the construction of a state-of-the-art facility in Scotland and the installation of several new machines. The installation included brand new BOBST 4 colour, 6 colour, 820 and 924 printers alongside a new Fosber corrugating line.

For Flegg, the project should have been a reasonably simple “lift and shift”, but the pandemic hugely affected the delivery causing delays.

In Scotland, the restrictions effectively shut down construction sites. Originally meant to commence in spring 2020, Flegg did not commence site works until December 2021.

Complications revolved around a particularly demanding principal contractor (PC) and trying to get a definitive start date and programme from the client. Flegg had to give much more project management time than expected, particularly because of the PC. Challenges arose from the need to undertake site-specific health screening, and issues with floor loadings that required significant input from Flegg’s senior team and structural engineers.

Works are still scheduled to take place in 2023 to relocate machinery from their existing factories into their final position.

1)  Evaluate production targets

Your yearly production targets could be affected by the move. But how much depends on preparation and planning in the early stages. You should evaluate the impact of the relocation against production targets by asking yourself the following:

• How long will it physically take to move the assets?
• How can we plan efficiently around this downtime?
• Do you have sufficient stock or capacity to be without the machinery?

A good risk assessment will enable you to evaluate all potential risks that could impact production, such as cargo delays and fluctuations in the schedule. Planning in advance and consulting your chosen mover will allow you to implement the best strategies to minimise any disruption.

2)  Be realistic

It’s not uncommon for clients to greatly underestimate the cost of an international factory relocation. There are many costs to consider, including engineering, handling, and freight. Substantial expertise is required to ensure the relocation is completed successfully with minimal disruption to the business. Assigning a realistic budget at the beginning will allow buffering space and room to assign the correct people, and reduce the risk of unforeseen costs following completion. Make sure you obtain quoted costs and even advice from machinery moving experts to include in your overall budget at the start.

Understanding heavy machinery moving needs

When completing heavy machinery moving projects, it’s important to remember that no two projects are the same.

The job could involve a heavy or delicate piece of equipment moving within the same factory or an item being sent to a destination on the other side of the world. This could be a time-critical move, or the site could have restricted access and involve many different partners.

Whatever the requirement, the classification of what counts as “heavy” can vary from one company to the next. Here at Flegg Projects, we can lift loads of up to 125-tonnes and we have a wide range of machinery moving equipment to suit almost any need, including;

• Counterbalance forklifts
• Hiab vehicle-mounted cranes
• Hydraulic gantry system
• Versalifts
• Cabin cruiser crane
• Air skates
• Ground moving tackle & lifting accessories
• Articulated trailers with hydraulic loading ramps, rigid and drawbar vehicles with rear-mounted cranes, a range of tail lift, flatbed and panel vans
• Bespoke equipment for more testing situations

From simple moves to extremely complex assignments, Flegg Projects will handle all aspects with care.

Machinery Movers That Are Aligned to Your Needs

There are many things to consider when selecting a contractor to move your valuable assets. Perhaps most importantly, you don’t just want a specialist who understands the industry, you need a company that understands you!

Here at Flegg, we pride ourselves on tailoring our services to the client’s individual needs, but we primarily deal with two very distinct types of customers.

Firstly, you may be a frequent client who has previously worked with other machine movers and transport companies to deliver and/or install new machinery.

In this case, you may already show a strong level of understanding surrounding the processes involved. If your current or past machinery movers haven’t lived up to your expectations, we will be more than happy to supply a service befitting your company standards.

Alternatively, you may be a new or infrequent client with sporadic requirements. In this case, there is a strong possibility that you won’t know (or don’t want to know!) too much about the specifics of the projects or machinery moving equipment that will be used. You simply need to know that there will be a smooth transition from A to B.

Whatever your needs might be, Flegg Projects will work closely with you to ensure that the most practical and cost-effective solutions are selected. We’re not just great machinery movers, we’re YOUR machinery movers.

What is alignment with machinery movers?

Alignment within the professional machinery movers sector is essentially a process that ensures your heavy equipment and machinery will arrive on time and in good health. By overcoming the logistical nightmares of transporting such large items, as well as keeping all parties on the same page, you can focus on using the machinery to its full potential.

Depending on the scope of work, Flegg Projects can align our programme with up to 8 different stakeholders. From the manufacturing company that purchased the machine, to the machine manufacturer to the transport company bringing the machine from the factory to the UK. And this will ultimately feed into your company’s overall strategic alignment.

Why it matters

Alignment of a machine movers’ back-office staff is crucial for a host of reasons. It promotes clear communication and removes downtime and delays, thus promoting a smoother operation for increased productivity, efficiency, and profits. Moreover, alignment between back-office staff and customer-facing employees will indirectly boost the customer experience.

A considerable amount of waste in business comes due to poor alignment, and it’s not hard to see how this can be a major issue when dealing with your machinery and the tasks that they are responsible for

Call Flegg Projects today!

Here at Flegg, we pride ourselves on working with clients to ensure all machinery moving tasks are completed with alignment, safety, and efficiency in mind. Our highly trained and experienced staff – who are all versed on how to manage, plan, and ensure that works are completed safely and efficiently – work with the best equipment to ensure a reliable and convenient service time and time. We take care of the machinery moving, allowing your team to focus on progressing the business.

If you need to partner with an expert in machinery moving services for any reason, take the first steps by calling us on 0845 458 4958 or requesting a callback today!

Forklift Truck

Forklift trucks are fantastic in tight areas and capable of pushing or pulling heavy loads. They are a great solution where there are no lifting points, however, the truck footprint does get larger with a greater lifting capacity. The load also needs to be properly centred otherwise the weight capacity for a forklift truck will be significantly reduced. There are also different types of forklift trucks that can be used depending on the project. For instance, a reach truck will deliver the maximum reach height and provide a high level of manoeuvrability. They tend to be used indoors while a hand pallet truck can be used to lift up to 3,500 Kg in weight.

Portable Gantry Crane

The gantry crane is similar to a door frame. Underneath the main beam there are supporting legs. These legs travel on a rail with wheels that are positioned on the ground. There are numerous benefits including a large range of operations. They are typically used in a port yard. The loading capacity can be anywhere from 1ton to 900ton depending on the design. They can also be used for large and more cumbersome pieces of equipment. However, the item being moved does need to have lifting points and there is always going to be limited levels of lateral movement.

JMG cabin cruiser

The JMG cabin cruiser is a relatively new concept within the lifting industry. They provide excellent lifting capacities and it’s quite compact so can be used in tighter spaces. It’s a versatile solution since you can use forks, hooks, or winches to lift the load. You also won’t have to worry about it marking the floors if you are using it indoors and since it is electric, there are no fumes to deal with.

Compact Crane

We can also use a compact crane on your project. As the name suggests, these will be perfect in tighter locations and are suitable for working indoors. There is also a smaller footprint with this device and since most are battery powered, you can avoid the issue of fumes when indoors. Compact cranes are also incredibly quick to set up and de-rig.