High-pressure chemical plant dismantling

The challenge

At a fine chemicals CDMO site located in Aachen, Germany, a full decommissioning of production and laboratory facilities was required. The scope included dismantling high-pressure process equipment, safely handling sensitive chemical installations, and returning the building to an empty shell.

The complexity lay in the diversity of assets, from precision laboratory equipment to large, glass-lined reactors, combined with strict safety, environmental and compliance requirements typical for pharmaceutical and chemical production environments.

The solution & execution

Gerritsen Group was appointed to manage the complete scope under one coordinated project structure, ensuring safety, traceability and minimal disruption. Scope of work included:

• Full inventory dismantling of all production machinery
• Safe disassembly and packaging of high-pressure mixers and reactors
• Special handling of glass-lined (enamelled) reactors, requiring controlled lifting and vibration-free transport
• Complete laboratory dismantling, including utilities and installations
• Packaging and transport of all reusable assets
• Soft strip activities, including removal of internal floors and steel structures
• Delivery of a fully empty shell, ready for next-phase redevelopment

The project ran for a total of 12 weeks, with approximately 4–5 weeks dedicated to dismantling activities, followed by an extensive soft strip and site clearance phase.

The result

All machinery and laboratory assets were dismantled, packed and transported safely, without incidents or damage to sensitive equipment. The site was handed over as a clean, empty shell — fully compliant with agreed safety and environmental standards.

What started as a project approached with initial caution evolved into a highly successful collaboration. The structured execution, clear communication and predictable outcomes resulted in strong client confidence and discussions around future projects.