Brookline Transportation, Inc. (BTI), a Mayflower Van Lines agent specializing in commercial, laboratory and residential moves, recently completed two lab relocations for Cambridge, Massachusetts-based location of Henkel Adhesive Technologies. BTI moved part of the lab contents to a Henkel location in Madison Heights, Michigan and the remainder to another Henkel lab in Seabrook, New Hampshire.

Henkel Adhesive Technologies is an international company based in Dusseldorf, Germany. The company makes the sealant found in most aluminum cans holding carbonated and non-carbonated beverages.

“We take it for granted when we open up a can of soda or some other drink that it will be fresh. We don’t realize what goes into keeping drinks fresh, particularly all the testing, and creating that refreshing sound when we crack open a beverage,” said George Rohlfing, president of BTI. “Part of what was so eye-opening on this move was the heavy machinery Henkel uses to make and test the sealant.”

The first move to Michigan involved the largest machine, which weighed in at 5,000 pounds. Transporting it from the second floor to the truck would require disassembly into smaller sections so it would be light enough to take the elevator. Once to the loading dock, it would need to be re-assembled and then hoisted onto a pallet and packed onto the 53-foot, 18-wheeler making the drive to Michigan.

The second phase of the relocation took place July 22-23. Utilizing three 26-foot trucks, BTI moved the rest of Henkel’s research and development lab to the Henkel warehouse and lab, a location in Seabrook, New Hampshire.

One of the bigger challenges of this lab relocation was moving another large piece of equipment, which Henkel calls #2, which weighed in at 2,000 pounds. This delivery was made at ground level and needed to go over a concrete entryway pad. This move also required the piece of equipment to be hoisted and put on a pallet, similar to the 5,000-pound piece of equipment.

The other challenge to this move was space. The new research and development lab was 2,000 square feet. The items moved were taken from an 8,000 square-foot lab. Fitting 8,000 square feet of stuff into a 2,000 square-foot space was a challenge, one that BTI met.

“As a lab manager, one thing that I really appreciated is that BTI planned and executed the packing and the loading portion of the move so that my team could work as long as it possibly could,” said John Stankiewicz, director product development for Henkel Adhesive Technologies.

“Any move that involves equipment of that size and weight is a challenge,” said Rohlfing. “We ‘were thankful to have a good team in place and the full cooperation of the staff at Henkel to make this move go smoothly.”

BTI offers a wide range of moving services for wide variety of laboratories. Specialties include: research; life science; food service; water testing; coating; butterfly lab; ocean research labs; planetary sciences; virology labs; hearing labs; shock compression lab; coatings/wet and dry labs; fermentation; labs; magnet labs; chemical labs; pharmaceutical labs; and petroleum R&D labs.

In addition to the planning and actual move, BTI lab relocation services include coordination with facilities and IT staff at both origin and destination to ensure a smooth transition for the lab to reopen ASAP at the new location. Additionally, BTI’s lab relocation division can offer storage options on both ends of a move should the facility need time to assimilate the new lab into the building. 

For complete information on BTI’s lab relocation services, please visit www.labmovers.com or call 800-766-7724.