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.