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Moving pains

"Spiderweb" being attached to the entrance of FMA's new headquarters in Elgin, Ill.

Change—even for the best—is never easy. Moving—even for good reasons—usually is a downright pain in the keister, so much so that people who move commonly say, “I’ll never do it again.”

I know I’ve made that statement regarding every home move. Unlike the pain of childbirth, I don’t know that you ever forget the pain of moving. There’s the ordeal of sorting, packing, and cleaning before the move; canceling services at your current location and scheduling them for the new one; changing your address for countless entities; and the days of unpacking and organizing at the new abode. It’s hard work, no doubt about it.

That’s just for moving a household. Think about all of the extra tasks associated with moving a business.

I’ve “watched” the last few months from my remote home office as my co-workers in the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association®’s building in Rockford, Ill., have prepared for the move taking place at the end of this week to a brand-new facility in Elgin, Ill. This probably is the most organized move I have ever witnessed. Much planning has gone into every aspect, and specific deadlines have been scheduled for completing each step of the process. (Sounds like what goes on with each project in a fab shop, doesn’t it?)

While a home move is ordeal enough, a business move is even more taxing. There’s the whole IT aspect and all that involves—hardware, software, and being connected and online from day one for a seamless transition of business.

I’ve said many times that I don’t envy the pressures of being in an IT department and responsible for keeping everything humming day-to-day, let alone making the big changes required by technology advancements and, now, moving everything to a new facility. The building won’t be the only thing that’s new to FMA employees, including those of us who are permanent remote workers. We’re being presented with new technology and the learning curve that entails. (Sounds like what goes on with new equipment in a fab shop, doesn’t it?)

Any change, even those as well thought-out and executed as this move, is susceptible to obstacles, one of which is resistance to change. However, after nearly 18 years working for FMA, I’ve come to realize that my co-workers are special. If any group is able to handle such a big undertaking and change with aplomb, especially at this time of the year, it’s the FMA group. We are a cohesive family. We may complain at times, but we pull together, support each other, and get the job done. (Sounds like workers in a good fab shop, doesn’t it?)

So, by the time I write my next post, the change will have come, and you would be none the wiser if I hadn’t written about the experience. That’s just what you would hope for if you had to move your business.

Have you ever moved your shop from one location to another? How did that work out for you? I’d love to hear your story. Here’s one about a metal fabrication operation that’s moved four times in nine years.