Factory Relocation and Machine Layout Planning in Turkey: From Assessment to Commissioning
Relocating a factory is far more than moving machines from one building to another. Commissioning a new facility, or improving an existing one, cannot be done without a production strategy.
That strategy covers the layouts that minimise the movement of people and machines during production. A poor layout causes energy and labour losses, disorder, higher scrap rates, delays and management difficulty, and all of these feed directly into cost.
A simple illustration: a plant with four production departments can be arranged in 4! = 24 different ways. Which one is right is found through production flow analysis, not guesswork.
This guide sets out the process in five steps for manufacturers relocating or building a new facility in Turkey: assessment, planning, technical design and permits, preparing the new facility, and relocation and commissioning. It is equally relevant to international companies moving or establishing production in Turkey.
Why Relocation Is an Opportunity
Most existing facilities have grown without a plan: machines added over the years, storage that no longer fits, material flows that cross each other. A move is the best moment to correct these accumulated inefficiencies.
Copying the old layout into a new building simply moves the old problems with it. A properly planned relocation delivers less movement, less scrap, safer workspaces and a facility ready for growth.
Step 1 — Assessment
Everything starts with an accurate picture of the current operation:
-Production flow and capabilities: which product passes through which machines, in what order?
-Machine and inventory list: dimensions, weights, power and compressed air requirements, foundation needs.
-Capacity utilisation: which machines are bottlenecks, which are under-used?
-Storage use: how much space raw materials, work in progress and finished goods actually need.
-Administrative and staff needs: offices, changing rooms, canteen, training and rest areas.
-Permits required before operation: which approvals are needed before production can begin at the new site.
Step 2 — Planning: Layout and Flow
The new facility is then structured:
*Defining departments and production capacity
*Production and assembly flow planning
*Location of storage, loading and unloading areas
*Placement of staff and administrative areas
*Expansion and growth scenario
*Programme and relocation schedule
The layout type follows the production model. Product (line) layouts suit high-volume production of a narrow product range; process layouts suit job shops with wide variety; cellular layouts sit between the two. The right choice directly determines how far material travels inside the plant and how much work-in-progress accumulates.
Workplace Organisation in the New Facility: 5S
A move is also the moment to set up order in the new facility from day one. The widely used 5S approach has five steps:
-Sort (Seiri): identify what is needed and remove what is not. A relocation is the ideal time to leave redundant equipment and stock behind.
-Set in order (Seiton): make what is needed easy to reach when it is needed.
-Shine (Seiso): keep the workplace clean and address problems at their source.
-Standardise (Seiketsu): make order and cleanliness permanent, with a control mechanism.
-Sustain (Shitsuke): maintain adherence to the agreed procedures.
When the layout is designed around 5S, order stops being a rule imposed later and becomes a habit the space itself supports.
Step 3 — Technical Design and Permits
Layout decisions are turned into buildable technical designs:
*Measured survey of the existing building
*Machine layout drawing and production flow diagram
*Architectural and structural design
*Electrical and lighting design
*Ventilation design
*Compressed air network design
*Crane and lifting design
*Fire protection design
*Administrative building and office layout
*Furniture and joinery manufacturing drawings
*Critical checks at this stage: the new building's electrical capacity (transformer rating), floor load capacity for heavy machinery, crane and goods lift requirements, and loading dock positions.
On permits: building works that alter the structure require the relevant building and alteration permits, and starting operations requires a workplace licence. In Turkish organised industrial zones (OSBs), these processes typically run through the zone's own management. Timelines vary by location, so they must be built into the relocation programme, and current requirements should be confirmed with the relevant OSB or municipality.
Step 4 — Preparing the New Facility
Before machines arrive, the new facility is made ready for production:
Electrical installation, distribution panels and lighting Industrial flooring (epoxy or industrial concrete)
Heating, ventilation, extraction and air conditioning
Compressed air networks
Goods lifts, crane rails and loading ramps Industrial doors and roller shutters
Storage and racking systems
Fire detection, suppression and evacuation systems
Data, network, access control and security systems
Administrative offices, staff areas, canteen and showroom
For the design of administrative buildings, factory offices and staff areas: [Factory Renovation, Factory Offices and Industrial Fit-Out](https://www.sonraki.com.tr/insight-industrial)
Step 5 — Relocation and Commissioning
The physical move is the test of whether the previous four steps were done well:
Building the relocation schedule: which line, which day, in what order?
Moving stock and warehouse contents
Dismantling, transporting and reinstalling machinery
Crane and heavy transport logistics
Trial production and commissioning
To minimise lost production, moves are usually phased: the first line is installed and commissioned at the new site while production continues at the old one. Weekends and public holidays are critical windows. The whole process runs with health and safety as the priority, in line with the production flow plan.
Common Mistakes
Setting the move date around the lease and leaving planning until later.
*Copying the old layout into the new building.
* Signing for a building without checking its electrical capacity and floor load.
*Leaving compressed air, ventilation and crane requirements until last.
*Leaving no room for growth, so the next machine does not fit three years later.
*Trying to move everything at once and stopping production longer than necessary.
How Long Does It Take?
Every facility differs, but a general framework:
Assessment, planning and technical design: typically 4–8 weeks
Preparing the new facility: 8–20 weeks depending on infrastructure scope
Physical relocation and commissioning: from a few days to several weeks depending on size and number of phases Permit timelines should be added on top.
Reference: Amper A.Ş., Beysan Industrial Estate, Istanbul
We prepared the machine layout plan for Amper A.Ş. at Beysan Industrial Estate, restructuring the press, tooling, turning, welding, cutting and storage departments around the production flow. The interior fit-out of the facility and the operational relocation were managed under a single programme.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How early should factory relocation planning start?
Ideally before signing for the new building. Its electrical capacity, floor load, ceiling height and loading access directly shape the layout.
Does production have to stop during the move?
Not entirely. By phasing the move, lines can be commissioned one by one at the new site while production continues at the old one.
Why does machine layout matter so much?
Layout determines how far materials and people travel inside the plant. A poor layout causes energy and labour losses, scrap and delays. Even a four-department plant can be arranged 24 ways; the right one is found through flow analysis.
Can you manage a relocation for an international company setting up in Turkey?
Yes. We manage projects for international clients in English, from assessment to handover.
For how we work remotely with clients abroad: [Your Design & Build Partner in Turkey](https://www.sonraki.com.tr/insight-gulf-clients-design-build-turkey)
Can the same firm handle the relocation and the new facility's fit-out?
Yes. Managing planning, technical design, facility preparation and the move under one programme reduces coordination gaps and lost production.
Who Is This Guide For?
Manufacturers relocating to a new building or organised industrial zone in Turkey Investors building a new production facility Businesses improving the layout and flow of an existing plant International companies establishing or relocating production in Turkey Operators restructuring a warehouse or logistics centre
The first conversation is free. Send us details of your current and new facility, and we will come back within 48 hours with an initial assessment. Our industrial facilities presentation is available on request.
Or reach us directly:
Sonraki Interior Architecture - İstanbul - Türkiye