Heavy Lifts, Tight Spaces: How to Manage Machinery Moves in Legacy Plants
Industrial equipment is getting bigger. Facilities? Not so much.
This is the difficulty that many businesses encounter when attempting to move, replace, or remove large machinery from legacy plants that were constructed decades ago, frequently before the advent of computer-aided design (CAD), standardized floor plans, or contemporary rigging techniques.
And when the equipment is large, the space is limited, and the tolerance for error is zero, you need more than muscle.
You need ingenuity.
Why Legacy Facilities Pose Unique Rigging Challenges
Plants built in the ‘60s, ‘70s, or even ‘90s weren’t designed with modern heavy-lift equipment or rigging logistics in mind. Here’s what we often encounter:
1. Low Ceiling Heights or Narrow Doorways
It's possible that enormous machines entered as parts or through doors that have since been taken out, blocked off, or structurally altered. Not all standard cranes will fit.
2. Unsupported Floors or Fragile Infrastructure
Some legacy plants can’t support modern concentrated loads. Others have weak mezzanines or aging foundations. Moving equipment across these requires engineering calculations and load distribution strategies.
3. No Clear Load Paths
A straight shot to the door is rare. We’ve worked through S-curves, internal corridors, and even multi-story egresses to move multi-ton machines.
4. Obsolete Utilities and Structural Interference
Obstacles like unsupported roof bracing, low-hanging conduits, or forgotten steam lines can all interfere with lift points or rigging angles.
How Henke Solves the "Tight Space" Problem
At Henke Industrial, we’ve developed a reputation for doing the things other movers won’t even quote. Tight quarters? Complex lifts? Legacy infrastructure? That’s our wheelhouse.
Here’s how we do it:
Site-Specific Rigging Plans
We create custom rigging strategies tailored to your space — not just your load. Whether that means hydraulic gantry systems, low-clearance dollies, or dismantling components in-place, we engineer the solution before anyone starts lifting.
3D Scanning and Clearance Modeling
Our team uses laser scanning and layout modeling to identify obstructions, simulate lift angles, and plan clearances down to the inch.
Floor Load Analysis
We calculate point-load and distributed weight impact before we roll anything in or out — protecting your facility and your equipment.
Sequential Moves
When space is truly constrained, we design step-by-step removal sequences that allow assets to be staged, pivoted, or repositioned safely and efficiently.
Final Word
If you’re facing a machinery move inside a legacy plant, don’t assume it’s too tight, too hard, or too late.
The moves that no one else wants are our specialty at Henke, and we execute them with accountability, control, and accuracy.
Because tight spaces demand smart solutions.
Let’s talk about your next complex move.