Moving Companies

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Banker and Tradesman Article September 14, 2007

While moving a family or even an entire office can prove to be a stressful experience, relocating a company that has an extreme specialty can be challenging to say the least. There are of course the desks, chairs, and other property of the company that needs to be moved on time and protected so there is no damage and the technology a company uses such as computers, phones and other important equipment. To maximize productivity and minimize downtime, it all needs to be at the new location on time and ready for the new beginning.

Now take a particular industry that is subject to specific laws, regulations and procedures, or special requirements. That can certainly complicate the moving process substantially. There is no better example than the relocation of a biotech firm. Take all the contents of a normal corporate office, throw in lab equipment, samples, specimens and research, as well as government regulations and you have one of the most complicated relocation projects there is. Not to mention investors watching every move.

Getting ready to move: Because of the complex nature of such a project, time is critical. The more time spent on planning, the better. Everyone on the team needs to be involved in the planning stage and they all need to have a complete understanding of that plan. When dealing with potentially millions of dollars in specimens and equipment, there is no room for error. Have a plan. One major part of the plan is where certain equipment will be positioned in the new location. Surveying the new location including electrical outlet configuration will be essential to moving freezers containing specimens into the new building immediately and getting them hooked up to power.

As with any large scale project, the best advice is to check references and make sure the company hired to manage the relocation has verifiable experience in this area. Many companies say they cater to a certain industry and have a specialty with a particular type of business. Make absolutely sure the company involved in the lab move knows the ins and outs of this kind of project and they have a proven track record. Of equal importance, ask the company about the training the personnel assigned to this project go through. Are they just trained to move boxes or do they have experience working in different environments such as clean rooms and laboratories.

State & Federal Regulations- a thorough understanding is crucial as non compliance with shipping and transportation guidelines of certain items will lead to fines and possible imprisonment. The company chosen to manage such a move should have complete comprehension of these regulations and, how they relate to this particular move. In most cases, permitting is required to move certain items and in some cases, transporting chemicals requires authorization from the Department of Transportation. Who's responsible? Both parties. While the moving company should obtain the proper permits, the client should verify that's the case. Contracts between client and moving company should be reviewed to ensure proper permitting is included in the language and the moving company along with all personnel should have a complete understanding of what's on board. Disclosure of moving contents to the motor carrier is essential. It is absolutely critical these steps are followed. The public relations nightmare that could haunt both parties if proper procedures are not followed could be detrimental.

Involving third parties should be explored when preparing for the relocation of a lab. For example, moving highly sensitive lab equipment could not only damage those instruments, but could throw them completely out of calibration. Involving the company that manufactures these items such as centrifuges, synthesizers, scopes and other delicate equipment the company uses should be considered. The manufacturer can help disassemble, pack, reassemble and calibrate the equipment as part of the moving plan. This will minimize damage and ensure all equipment is set up and fine-tuned by a professional.

Packing and proper labeling should be the responsibility of the moving company. Again, trained professionals should be involved in this. While many items can be packed in traditional boxes or crates, there are certain items that need to remain extremely clean. In those cases, it may not be possible to use boxes or even wood crating because of possible contamination of equipment or testing rooms. Check with the manufacturers of the lab equipment to make absolutely sure these types of instruments are packed properly and give the moving company guidance with this.

Of most importance is the way everything is actually transported. The moving company must have the products and equipment to store and preserve materials at ultra low temperatures. Those would be the freezers that would store irreplaceable specimens and research. The company should also have access to vehicles designed and equipped to handle products that require a controlled climate including temperature and humidity.

In many cases, vans that are used for biotech moves are equipped with temperature monitoring equipment. Probes are placed in each of the freezers and linked to a computer in the cab of the van. That way, the driver and their team can monitor conditions closely to ensure proper operation of all storage equipment and respond quickly to equipment malfunction. While some companies utilize dry ice to keep specimens frozen, the best way is a temperature controlled freezer.

That being said, it is absolutely vital to have redundancy equipment on board the truck along with stand-by back up freezers constantly set at the right temperature in case of a failure. The freezer cannot just be in the truck unplugged. It has to be fixed at the same temperature as the freezers actually carrying specimens during the entire move. Companies have even gone as far as to store liquid nitrogen on board in case of a complete failure to keep the research frozen.

Submitted By: Howard Jay Goldman

Howard Jay Goldman is CEO of Humboldt Storage and Moving of Canton www.humboldt.com. Founded in 1905, Humboldt is greater Boston's largest and oldest Moving company. Humboldt specializes in residential, commercial and highly technical Biotech moves.