10 Things We Learned When Moving Into A New Facility
(7 min read)
In May of this year, we moved from our facility on the Northwest side of Milwaukee to a brand-new facility in the suburb of Germantown 14 miles away. The move was needed as we nearly tripled the business in the old facility! Having a new start allowed us to focus on employee comfort, streamline processes, improve workstations, double down on our sustainability efforts, and make Felins an even better place for our employees to enjoy their work life. Embarking on the journey of designing a new facility and moving a manufacturing operation can be a stressful disaster but it is much more fun when the entire experience is seamless and enjoyable. The excitement of new possibilities, expanded horizons, and improved infrastructure is accompanied by a set of valuable lessons learned along the way. As we settled into our state-of-the-art facility, here are the top 10 lessons that emerged from our experience:
1. EARLY PLANNING IS PARAMOUNT
We have been evaluating moving our business for over a decade. We looked at dozens of existing building and new construction sites. We learned a lot about what we liked and didn’t like through that process and began building a list of items that would be crucial for us in a new building. For example, 28 foot “clear” in the warehouse so we can stack 3 full pallets high of any material. The importance of meticulous planning cannot be overstated. Starting early, creating a comprehensive timeline, and involving all stakeholders in the planning process are critical steps to ensure a smooth transition. Well in advance of the physical move, we mapped every item to its new location. This streamlined the physical move and eliminated the need for the movers to ask, “Where does this item go?” Moving our business would have been very difficult if we hadn’t anticipated and planned for the move long before we needed to do so.
With a Gantt chart, there’s nothing we Gantt do!
2. COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Keeping everyone in the loop is essential for a seamless transition. Regular updates, clear communication channels, and addressing concerns proactively contributed to a positive and informed atmosphere during the move. Change can be stressful, even if that change is exciting. We worked hard to make sure everyone at Felins understood where we were in the relocation process. Even in the very beginning, we made the extra effort to ensure everyone was aware of new site possibilities and possible timing. We identified a targeted geographic area for a new location that would minimize the impact to employee commutes and made sure everyone knew we were attempting to minimize disruptions as much as possible. We also provided updates as we approached key milestone dates leading up to the physical move, during the move and post move.
3. TEAM COLLABORATION FUELS SUCCESS
Moving is a team effort. Encouraging collaboration, asking for assistance, and fostering a sense of collective ownership among team members enhanced the efficiency of the move. We wanted our team to be able to impact the design of the new facility while operating within budget. Employees volunteered for a variety of different committees that were critical in decisions regarding office furniture, manufacturing cell layouts, amenities in the cafeteria, conference room names and even where to put the bathrooms. The result? A new facility that isn't just a physical space; it's a reflection of the unity and shared ownership that define Felins. Our team's commitment to collaboration not only enhanced the efficiency of the move but also left an indelible mark on the very fabric of our new home. This move wasn't just about changing locations; it was about evolving together as a team, and everyone was excited to embark on this new chapter in our refreshed surroundings that they had a personal hand in. Our Core Values are imbedded in the facility!
4. EMBRACE FLEXIBILITY
Despite thorough planning, unexpected challenges may arise. Being adaptable and embracing flexibility is crucial. A willingness to pivot and find solutions on the go ensures that any hurdles are navigated with agility. As with any project there are surprises along the way. Our team did our best to anticipate the needs of a relocation, but were also ready to react and find creative solutions! This was necessary in order to solve problems such as logistics or a last-minute change to our new address because of a quirk with the United States Postal Service.
5. PRIORITIZE EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY SETUP
Ensuring that equipment and technology are set up correctly and efficiently is a priority. Coordinating with vendors, testing systems in advance, and having a dedicated team for IT support contributed to a smooth transition of operations. We were able to close the business on a Friday at 2:00 PM and start back up on the following Monday morning at 8:00 AM without missing a beat. We had the luxury of having access to both buildings concurrently in the weeks leading up to the move. We used that time to test as many systems in the new building as possible. We were able to verify prior to the move that critical items such as our phone system, servers, Wi-Fi, compressed air, electricity to our production facility, and a whole host of other technologies critical to running our business would be ready on the 1st day in the new building.
6. EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING MATTERS
While the driving force in making the move was the need for more space, we also wanted to deliver a new workspace that was focused on employee safety, comfort, well-being, productivity and sustainability. We needed special places and spaces for all the activities we need to do, to take care of our employees and our customers! Our new facility is 70% larger than the old facility and we have an option to make it over 100% larger if needed. Everything from insulation and lighting is designed to maximize comfort and efficiency. All office and shop lighting automatically turns on and off as needed and dimmer lighting is incorporated to improve efficiency and employee comfort. We have a noise cancelling system installed in the ceiling with sensors and 36 speakers to make the office space quieter and more comfortable. We also installed a drinking water filtration system that provides various water temperature options as well as sparkling water on demand!
A contributing factor to moving the business was the desire to upgrade the building that we all work in and we exceeded expectations. We put a lot of effort into making the space where we work something that we all would enjoy coming to, however, executing a move in addition to the daily demands of running a business isn’t easy. Making sure that we supported each other through the planning and execution of the move was paramount. There were certainly some times that were stressful, but our focus was on making the move happen in a way that we could look back on, be proud of and be happy about our new facility once the move was complete. I think we accomplished that. Even with the additional responsibilities of the transition into the new building, we wanted to ensure that we still prioritized the health and wellness of our Felins Family.
7. MAINTAIN CONTINUITY IN CUSTOMER SERVICE
Even during a move, maintaining continuity in customer service is paramount. Nobody wants to hear that we can’t ship something or help resolve a technical service issue because we are in the middle of a move. Our goal was to make the act of relocating the business a non-factor in our ability to serve our customers. Instead, we want the new building to be a benefit to our customers in that we can serve them much better with more efficient processes, more space for inventory, and better tools to address their needs. We entered orders, shipped orders, invoiced orders and answered phones at the old facility on Friday May 12th and did the same from the new facility starting at 8:00 AM on Monday, May 15! That is an amazing accomplishment!
8. EVALUATE AND OPTIMIZE PROCESSES
A new facility provides an opportunity to reevaluate and optimize existing processes. Identifying areas for improvement, streamlining workflows, and incorporating efficiency-enhancing measures contribute to making us more efficient. We had been in our previous building for 34 years and over that time we had developed some processes around the limited access workspace that we were in. We knew that we had processes that required more steps than necessary, but the layout of the building made that necessary. In many cases, as we relocated, we were able to redefine and streamline processes to accomplish the same amount of work with fewer steps because we were able to optimize the layout of our building for the work that we do. All work-cells were optimized for the new facility!
9. ADDRESS ERGONOMICS AND COMFORT
Creating a comfortable and ergonomically sound workspace is vital for employee well-being. Paying attention to office layout, providing ergonomic furniture, and incorporating comfortable break spaces contribute to a positive work environment. We really wanted our new building to be a place that our people enjoyed. We recognized that we had an opportunity to make working at Felins even better as we upgraded our building. When we started to talk about our workspaces, we didn’t want to fill them with the furniture from the old building if we could afford it. We wanted to make sure that we were emphasizing comfort and ergonomic improvements as part of the move. We had our employees test a variety of different chairs and desks as we made furniture selections. Based on that input, we chose the options that were the most popular. We also did things like making all of the desks height adjustable so that everyone can work at the most comfortable elevation, even if that means standing as they compose an e-mail!
10. CELEBRATE MILESTONES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Amidst the hustle of moving, it's important to take moments to celebrate milestones and achievements. Recognizing the efforts of the team, acknowledging successful transitions, and creating a positive atmosphere contribute to a sense of accomplishment. We recognize the level of effort that our team needed to give in order to manage our business and pull off a successful move. It was great to see the progress as we moved machining centers, inventory, servers, phone systems and more from one building to the next. We continually thanked everyone that worked so smart and so hard to make the move happen. It’s been fun as we cross certain milestones like our first all employee meeting, the first time we fired up our new paint booth, and our upcoming first Christmas party in our new building. In conclusion, moving into a new facility is a transformative experience filled with challenges and opportunities. By learning from each step of the process, we not only ensure a successful move but also pave the way for a thriving future in our new home.
Authored by Andrew Barrieau
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