4 Processes to Plan For When Moving Your Lab

Recently, we were requested to help move one of our labs to a new location. There are a handful of processes that need to be managed accordingly to most efficiently spend your time and money. After interviewing several biotech companies about their moving experiences, here are four processes you need to plan for:1) Address updates. You will need to visit all of your online accounts for suppliers (Amazon, Fisher, Sigma, Pipette.com, etc.) and change your shipping address. Some companies require an official letter from management to confirm the new address (Sigma requires this).2) Packaging. You need boxes, bubble wrap, tape, razor blades, and a few other essentials. How much do you need? Where do you get it? What about the big equipment, like a centrifuge....how do you move that w/o disrupting its internal components and possibly the warranty?3) Non-shared Equipment needs. If you're moving from a location that utilized shared equipment (like an incubator or accelerator), you might not have access to certain large pieces of equipment anymore, like refrigerated centrifuges, sequencers, or -80 freezers. You'll need to put together a list of your needs and budget to buy them.4) Logistics. Now that everything is packed up, how do you move everything? You might want to save money and do this yourself. Don't. Hire a professional. They will probably provide most of the packaging as well.