Project at a glance
Client: Trelleborg Ridderkerk, the Netherlands
Challenge: Transfer production to four countries and close the Ridderkerk factory
Role of Moving Industries: Integrated project management of transfer and closure
Complexity: Four international destinations, heavy equipment and continued customer supply
Result: Production restarted in four countries; Ridderkerk handed over empty
An international production transfer is not a single move. It is a sequence of interconnected transitions involving products, equipment, tooling, technical knowledge, infrastructure and people across multiple locations.
For Trelleborg Ridderkerk, production had to be transferred from the Netherlands to four contract manufacturers in China, Singapore, France and Germany. At the same time, the existing factory had to remain operational during the transition and ultimately be dismantled and handed over empty.
Moving Industries was responsible for project management throughout this process. The assignment started in October 2022 and was formally completed in May 2024.
Why was production transferred?
Trelleborg had decided to move production from Ridderkerk to an international network of contract manufacturers. Customers still had to be supplied while products, machinery, tooling and production knowledge were transferred to several destinations.
Some products could be introduced on existing equipment at the receiving factories. Other products depended on machinery that first had to be disconnected in Ridderkerk, transported internationally, reassembled and commissioned at the destination.
This required a transfer sequence that balanced production continuity with equipment availability and the readiness of each receiving location.
A three-phase transfer approach
The project was structured in three main phases. During the first phase, while production in Ridderkerk was still running, the project team inventoried machinery and tooling, prepared production instructions and developed the transfer plans for the different locations.
Where possible, production was first introduced on existing equipment at the contract manufacturers. This reduced dependency on the physical transfer of machinery and created additional flexibility in the overall schedule. Travel restrictions in China following the COVID pandemic meant that part of the preparation and knowledge transfer had to be managed remotely.
During the second phase, production in Ridderkerk was gradually phased out and machinery and tooling were prepared for transport. Large hydraulic presses and other specialised equipment were either moved in one piece by exceptional transport or dismantled for shipment in containers.
At the same time, the receiving factories prepared for the equipment. Layouts were changed, technical installations modified, warehouse capacity expanded and employees trained. Once installed, the machines were commissioned and the first production runs were supervised remotely and on site.
Project management across multiple locations
Managing the transfer required more than coordinating transport. The readiness of the receiving factories had to remain aligned with the phased reduction of production in Ridderkerk.
Moving Industries created the overall project structure, connected the technical and operational workstreams and maintained alignment between the Trelleborg teams, contract manufacturers and external specialists.
Production planning, technical preparation, logistics, commissioning and decommissioning were coordinated as one integrated programme.
Decommissioning the Ridderkerk facility
In the third and final phase, the remaining production equipment and infrastructure were removed and the Ridderkerk production areas and warehouses were prepared for handover.
An industrial auction was organised during the first quarter of 2024. More than 95% of the remaining production inventory was sold and given a new destination. The remaining materials were offered for recycling.
The final actions were completed in April and May 2024, after which the facility was handed over empty and the project was formally closed.
What did the project deliver?
Production was successfully transferred to China, Singapore, France and Germany. Machinery was relocated and commissioned, local teams were prepared and production was restarted. The Ridderkerk operation was subsequently dismantled and handed over empty. More than 95% of the remaining production inventory was sold for reuse.
This result was achieved through close cooperation with Trelleborg’s dedicated employees and the teams of external partners, including Van Harten, Troostwijk, Storm, Van Pelt Recycling and Van der Helm. Their expertise, commitment and professionalism were essential to the successful completion of the project.
The key lesson
A multi-site production transfer must be managed as one integrated programme. Product availability, technical readiness, knowledge transfer, international logistics and the shutdown of the original location are inseparably connected.
Moving Industries adds value by creating control across these dependencies and turning a strategic footprint decision into an executable transfer. This enables organisations to move production internationally while maintaining focus on customers, operations and the intended business outcome.
Is your organisation considering the relocation, consolidation or international transfer of production? Moving Industries provides the project leadership and practical execution required to move from strategic decision to stable production at the receiving locations.
