Mobile Shelving Isn’t Always The Best Option

We regularly receive enquiries from clients who are looking for us to advise them on installing a mobile shelving system to handle their live and archive record storage. It’s no wonder really as mobile shelving can be a fantastic high density office storage solution for certain clients and for certain applications. There are also some stylish mobile shelving systems that look fantastic as well as having an excellent capacity

But as they say – capacity isn’t everything.

We were recently approached by a client who asked us to remove an electric mobile shelving system that held an impressive 3500 linear metres of record storage capacity and replace it with static shelving.

Why?

Because accessing the records via the mobile shelving system was just too slow and was causing major problems for the organisation as its key people were unable to get the information they required when they needed it.

Clearly the client had been sold on the huge amounts of records that could be stored by this monster of a mobile system – probably by someone who knew their own range of products inside out but had no idea of what was right for the client’s business and didn’t take into consideration any future growth.

When we analysed the system and carried out a full site survey, we found that despite the impressive storage capacity only 15% of the records could be accessed at any one time and, as is the nature of mobile systems, could not cope with more than one person accessing the system.

And as if that wasn’t enough of a hindrance, the mobile was having some reliability issues causing major accessibility issues and the cost of repairs was growing year on year.

Working closely with the records team and following a full survey of the available space, we designed, supplied and installed a static shelving solution that provided an impressive 2750 linear metres of storage with 100% accessibility.

This was achieved by designing a static shelving system which squeezes six shelves into the available height as opposed to the maximum of five featured in the mobile due to the space required for the tracks and electronic gearing.

Clearly every storage system has its lifespan however it is a sad truth that Thistle  are receiving more enquiries from clients who experiencing premature operational inefficiencies which are quite simply down to a badly designed storage system on the part of the previous supplier.

An effective storage solution has to achieve the fine balance between capacity and accessibility whilst always taking into consideration the future growth and the potential demands that will be placed on the system.

This is by no means an easy task and it can only be achieved by a project team that has the experience and works in conjunction with the client and the actual end users of the system.

However before you start ripping out your mobile shelving system, there are ways in which you can improve the accessibility of files in a mobile.  By splitting the runs of the mobile system with static bays, you can create multiple access points which can double or treble the accessibility levels however it is always at the expense of some level of capacity.

To discuss your storage requirements contact Thistle Systems now on 01236 453888 or visit www.thistlesystems.co.uk for more information.

Zero Defect Guarantee on Interior Fit Out Projects

After years of success in the contracting market, both in racking and shelving and in interiors fit outs, we recognised that the overall quality of a contractor and the level of client satisfaction achieved was often determined by the length of the defect list.

As a company that aims to deliver ‘awesome customer service,’ Thistle focused all our efforts in ensuring that defects were kept to an absolute minimum. But that wasn’t enough. We believed that we should be able to hand over a job with zero defects.

This has required a complete change in thinking throughout the organisation and a retraining of our entire team from director level to the tradesmen on site.

We are now proud to be the first contractor in the UK to offer a zero defect guarantee on all our interior fit out projects.

But what does this guarantee mean to the end client?

We guarantee that when you accept hand over of the project, there will be absolutely no defects of any description.

We only use the very best of tradesmen and sub-contractors to ensure a superior finish on all our contracts, however all tradesmen (both our own and sub-contractors) receive intensive training to reinforce the zero defect guarantee.

Any tradesmen or specialist contractors that fail to achieve the standards are re-trained or re-deployed.

We believe that it is not the job of the end client or their appointed representative to identify defects in the unlikely event they happen.  Our project managers are trained to carry out the most ruthless and uncompromising pre-handover inspections to identify and rectify every possible defect prior to the client taking ownership of the finished contract.

Of course we understand that more and more projects are taking a more collaborative approach and we always welcome ongoing feedback on the quality and progress of ongoing works.

We also understand that on occasions a defect can appear after the handover takes place or a client identifies an area that does not meet their standards. When this happens we mobilise all available resources to rectify the problem immediately.

Now that is awesome service.

The Cheapest Way to Increase Your Office Storage Capacity

The say the simple ideas are the best and with our revolutionary Tambour Track System it has never been easier to transform your storage capacity without breaking the bank or taking up valuable floor space.

Placed in front of open shelves or incorporating our lockable slide opening doors into existing tambour cabinets, the surface mounted tracks can allow further units to be mounted conveniently in front and pushed effortlessly to access stored items behind.

With six heights of tambour cabinets available as standard and a superb choice of colours and finishes, the opportunity to increase your office storage capacity tastefully and cost effectively has never been so attractive.

Contact us now on 01236 453888 and find out just how easy and cost effective it can be

The Secret That Racking Importers Don’t Want You To Know

As we all look for potential cost savings in our business, there is always the temptation to go with the cheapest option available without fully appreciating the potential long term impact that the decision could have on our business.

Let’s be honest we have all done it for items such as photo copiers, computers and office furniture where we thought we could survive with the cheapest option. Unfortunately whether it is through expensive consumables or inferior quality products that do not stand up to the rigours of work, the decision often comes back to haunt us.

But when it comes to items that can have potential health and safety dangers, such as racking, it is essential that we take into consideration the potential impact of problems caused by inferior products.

Second only to used racking systems which is inherent with potential quality issues, the major concerns in the racking sector surround the growing number of distributors who are offering racking that is imported from non EU countries.

These imported racking systems can provide a degree of cost savings at the outset however the problems arise when the client is looking for replacing parts, additional bays and safety accessories that either cannot be sourced or do not match their existing material.

But by far the greatest danger is that is overlooked by clients and in some cases the distributors, is that of Product Liability Insurance.

Product liability insurance is a key element in racking as it provides you, the client, with the peace of mind that if an accident occurs which can be traced back to a problem caused by the manufacturer, it will be their responsibility to finance any losses or claims awarded.

Manufacturers out with the EU do not have to provide product liability insurance which means that any indemnity is passed to the distributor of the system.

Unfortunately many distributors do not have the necessary insurance to protect their business and rather than bearing the financial cost of any claims held against them, will simply opt for voluntary insolvency.

So when you are considering your racking solution, it is vital that you ask your distributor to provide evidence of the product liability insurance as well as full details of the original manufacturer.

If you have any questions or are in any doubt as to the origins of your racking system, contact us today for a no obligation discussion.

Simple Partitioning Can Allow You To Rent Out Your Empty Offices

When the recession began to bite, many companies started to look at ways in which they could consolidate multiple offices or reduce the number of offices they were occupying so that they could rent out their extra space to other businesses.

As a result, our interiors team experienced a surge of enquiries from clients who recognised our expertise at maximising workspace whether is space planning for a new office or looking at ways in which existing offices could be reconfigured to make better use of the space.

Many were surprised at how little work was involved and how quickly they could capitalise on their underutilised space.

In one such project, our Interiors Project Manager, Paul Hayes, was asked by one of his former clients,  a business management consultancy practice with offices in Glasgow and London to explore the options for transforming three of their meeting rooms into an independent suite of offices.

With full details of the existing plans already on the system, Paul was able to quickly determine that the work involved to divide the space was fairly minimal and could be achieved by partitioning the open plan office space to create a new reception area.

The Thistle team also advised that a small change in floor heights from reception area to the existing offices meant that a plinth would need to be created to meet the DDA regulations and Building Regulations.

However the overall cost of the project could be offset by a few months rent and could also be achieved in such a manner that the area could be returned to its open plan design with minimal disruption.

When companies are looking at these kinds of projects, it can appear to be very straight forward however it pays to look at all the options available and ensure that you meet all of the legislative requirements in terms of DDA and Building Regulations. Our design and build experience means that we can provide you with the right advice to ensure your project always meets current guidelines.

A key issue consideration in any office development is the level of office storage required by the team and when it comes to consolidating office areas, this can prove to be a real challenge. However Thistle’s office fit outs team has a superb solution to ensure no compromises need to be made.

One of the methods we have used to great effect in many projects is the installation of a fully fitted storage wall to form the partition. The modern and flexible storage walls that are now available on the market can make a huge difference in maximising office areas without sacrificing valuable storage space.