Flexible Mobile Shelving Enables Local Council to Save Money

A local council was able to save tens of thousands of pounds during a downsizing project thanks to the expertise of the Thistle Systems team and their ability to deliver a long term solution that built in flexibility.

Thistle System originally assisted the local council to design and install a major mobile shelving system some 8 years ago however during the initial discussion the client indicated that there was a strong possibility that it would need to be moved in the future.

So whilst other companies specified the standard mobile shelving system at the time, Thistle Systems recommended a modular solution, which was marginally more expensive at the time, but which could be easily dismantled and relocated.

The investment paid off and rather than having to write off a significant capital expenditure, the council was able to remove and re-use the entire mobile shelving solution in their new premises.

Thistle Systems Sales Director, Alan Scott, explained “Our focus has always been to develop long term relationships with our clients which means not only giving clients best value and service, it’s about develop the right solution for their requirements.”

He continued, “Our professional integrity and our commitment to delivering the right solution has cost us a few projects over the years, however it has won us far more respect with clients and indeed from customers who chose not to heed our advice and suffered as a result.”

To discuss your mobile shelving solution contact Thistle Systems now on 01236 453888

Thistle Launch Dedicated Mobile Shelving Servicing Team

Thistle Systems has launched a dedicated mobile shelving servicing team to provide its clients with the level of support they require to meet their legal requirements under the PUWER health and safety at work regulations.

Thistle Systems has been providing clients with a mobile shelving servicing solution for many years however the move will enable more clients to ensure their Mobile Shelving system continues to operate at peak performance and most importantly is safe to use.

To provide clients with a superior service, Thistle has developed a 35 point Mobile Shelving checklist which provides a detailed report to the client and provides them with the peace of mind that their equipment meets the necessary requirements.

The team brings a wealth of experience in all makes of mobile shelving systems and not only ensures that the meets their obligations, but the service also includes making any minor tweaks, such as to the tension of the drive chain.

Thistle Systems’ Sales Director, Alan Scott, said “Many companies simply use their installation teams to carry out servicing but our experience shows that these guys can carry out inspections but struggle when it come to other manufacturer’s products and tend not to be so willing to make simple amendments to bring it up to standard.”

He concluded, “If you have a mobile shelving system that hasn’t been serviced in the last 12 months, it’s something you must look at as a matter of urgency.

To find out more or to discuss your requirements contact their sales team now on 01253 453888 or download the brochure today.

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.