10 businesses / organisations that could benefit from using mobile shelving
Mobile shelving refers to any type of storage solution that is placed on a moving base or track. This type of storage, which is sometimes referred to as roller racking or roller shelving, is designed to increase businesses' storage capacity between sixty and one hundred per cent. The great thing about it is that it utilises just one aisle, allowing you to maximise your storage capacity without taking up a lot of space.
What many people do not know is that mobile shelving is incredibly versatile and is therefore suitable for a wide range of applications. Here we will share ten examples of businesses and organisations that could benefit from using mobile shelving and explain why it is the best solution for their particular business.
Libraries can maximise space by housing their books in mobile shelving units.
Library
Although a lot of people download books onto e-readers today, libraries are still very popular with those who prefer to read ‘real' books or go there to simply enjoy the peace and quiet. In order to remain competitive they need to store hundreds and thousands of books, which as you can imagine can take up a lot of space.
Rather than having to invest in expensive bookshelves that take up the entire room, libraries are much better off utilising mobile shelving systems. The great thing about mobile shelving units is that they can hold way more books than your average static bookshelf, whilst also taking up much less space.
By putting bookshelves on mobile tracks, libraries can create much more space for their visitors to roam. They can also use the space for other purposes e.g. book signings, readings and other functions that are held in the library.
Investing in mobile shelving also works out much cheaper, as fewer units are required compared to static bookshelves. No matter how big or small your library is or how many books you need to house, a mobile shelving unit will provide the perfect storage solution.
Mobile shelving can be used to make warehouses more tidy and organised.
Ecommerce / retail warehouse
Warehouses are usually filled with hundreds and thousands of products waiting to be sold and shipped out to customers. They are often stored in palettes that are stacked up high on static shelving units that take up a lot of space. Simply by swapping these static shelving units for mobile shelving, businesses can maximise the space in their warehouse, improve health and safety and also increase their output.
As we mentioned before, mobile shelving units only utilise a single aisle and therefore do not take up very much room. By saving on space in their warehouses, businesses can either hold more products or create another picking and packing station to increase their output.
Using mobile shelving can also help to improve health and safety as it is regarded as being a very safe and durable type of storage solution. Providing a dedicated place for stock to be stored will prevent it from being left around and will therefore also minimise the risk of accidents in the warehouse.
Mobile shelving units come in a wide range of sizes and can be designed to hold palettes, making them an ideal solution for any warehouse, of any size.
Law firms need to keep their legal books and documentation organised in mobile shelving units.
Law firm
High-density storage solutions like mobile shelving is ideal for law firms that have to store a lot of important documents and books. It will help them to improve the efficiency of their operations, whilst also keeping confidential and important documents 100% secure.
Most law firms have a library of reference books that need to be stored on-site. They are also required by law to have physical documentation of things like contracts, rulings and affidavits stored in a secure unit on-site. Both of these things can be achieved using a purpose built mobile shelving unit.
By making it easier for partners and associates to find and retrieve the documents they need, mobile shelving can help to improve the efficiency of law firms' operations. Most mobile shelving units also come with locks, which is ideal for law firms, as they need to ensure unauthorised personnel cannot access their files.
Law firm mobile shelving solutions can be customised to hold files, folders, boxes and books in order to keep things organised and ensure all documents remain safe and secure at all times.
Clothing retailers can keep garments in a far better condition by using purpose-built roller racking.
Clothing retailer
Mobile shelving units are not just designed to hold paper-based files; they can also be designed to hold things like clothing garments too, making them ideal for fashion retailers to use. In fact, many clothing retailers actually use mobile shelving in their stockrooms.
The benefit of using mobile shelving in a stock room is that it can hold lots of items without taking up very much space. Mobile shelving units are also very easy to operate, making it easy for shop assistants to locate the garment/s their customer has requested. By allowing them to find and retrieve garments quickly, mobile shelving units enable them to offer a better customer service.
Storing clothing in specially designed mobile shelving units will also help to keep it in pristine condition. The better condition the clothing is in, the more likely customers are to be happy with their purchase.
Maximising storage capacity without taking up additional space also means that clothing retailers can stock more garments on-site and therefore have a greater opportunity of increasing sales and in turn, profits.
Doctor's surgeries and hospitals can use roller racking to keep patient records safe and confidential.
Doctor's surgery / hospital
Doctor's surgeries and hospitals are required to store a vast amount of paper-based files and records, though many have very little room to do so. Not only do they have to ensure that all of their paper records are organised efficiently but that they are also kept completely secure, as the information they contain is often confidential. Investing in mobile shelving can meet both of these requirements.
Mobile shelving units can be designed to house a wide range of documents including hospital medical records, health centre records, patient records, doctor's records and things like X Rays. The fact they only use a single aisle and run on moving tracks means that they can hold hundreds and thousands of files, whilst taking up very little room.
Mobile shelving units also have a very user-friendly design, making it easy for doctors, nurses and their administration staff to locate the records they need quickly. All they have to do is look up the aisle number and then create their own path to it by rolling the units aside using a wheel (or by pressing a button in the case of automated mobile shelving).
Most mobile shelving units are also designed with both wheel and floor locks. This is particularly beneficial for doctor's surgeries and hospitals, which are required to keep patient's records completely confidential. Automated mobile shelving is also very secure, as it can be designed so that people have to enter a pin code or scan a pass before they can gain access to its contents.
It doesn't matter whether you run a small doctor's surgery or a huge hospital, you can still benefit from using a bespoke mobile shelving solution to keep your records safe and organised.
Pharmacies can use mobile shelving to keep drugs, medical equipment and prescriptions safe and organised.
Pharmacy
Pharmacies have to stock a wide range of drugs and medical equipment that need to be stored securely yet in a way that makes them easily retrievable by pharmacists and dispensers. Whilst static storage units will do the job, they can take up a lot of space, which most pharmacies do not have. This is why we highly recommend that pharmacies invest in mobile shelving units instead.
Choosing mobile shelving will allow pharmacies to increase the amount of drugs and medical equipment they store on-site. Storing more drugs on site can help to improve customer service by ensuring they can provide all of their customers with the medication they need. It may even help to boost their competitiveness, as customers are much more likely to return to a pharmacy that they know stocks their medication and offers a quick and efficient service.
Another benefit of using mobile shelving to store drugs and medical equipment is that it is much more secure than traditional shelving units. The fact the drugs are hidden away inside the shelving unit and that it is locked from the outside means that only the pharmacist and dispenser can access it, preventing the risk of theft and abuse.
Museums and art galleries can keep their high value items safe by making use of mobile shelving.
7. Museum and galleries
High value antiques, artefacts and artwork provide a unique storage challenge for museums and galleries. Although these items need to be displayed presentably and be fairly easy to retrieve, they also need to be kept completely secure. Museums and galleries often house thousands of antiques, artefacts and paintings, making a high-density storage solution like mobile shelving the best choice.
Although most people regard mobile shelving units as being used to house paper-based office documents, they can be manufactured to hold other items like artwork and antiques too.
The benefit to museums and galleries of using a mobile shelving system is that they will be able to condense their storage and increase space, which will allow them to store more collections on-site. This may help them to improve their competiveness and attract more visitors.
Mobile picture racks and shelving can also be locked to provide additional security and added protection for artwork, artefacts and antiques. The fact they will have been designed specifically for the intended products will also help to preserve them and ensure they are protected for future generations to enjoy too.
Mobile shelving is a cost effective storage option for schools and universities.
8. University / school
Even though most students type up their essays on computers today, many universities and schools still require them to hand in paper-based versions. All of this work, along with educational books and other equipment need to be stored efficiently. Although schools and universities could simply invest in file cabinets and bookcases, it is actually much more cost efficient to buy mobile shelving.
The great thing about mobile shelving is that one unit can hold between sixty to one hundred per cent more contents that a standard file cabinet. Not only that, but it doesn't take up half as much room, allowing you universities and schools to utilise their space more productively.
The space saved in classrooms and university libraries can be used for additional desks and study areas for students to use.
Another benefit of using mobile shelving in universities and schools is that it allows staff to keep their paper-based files and work organised. Having somewhere to safely store work in an organised manner is likely to reduce the amount of work being lost or damaged.
Mobile storage solutions are often used in laboratories to store chemicals and scientific equipment.
9. Laboratory / Prep room
Many mobile shelving companies, including Storage Aspects, provide a range of science laboratory mobile shelving that can be used to store the specialist items used in prep rooms and labs. These units can be designed with drawers and trays to make it easier for lab workers to store their equipment.
Having a dedicated storage solution like mobile shelving will allow lab workers to keep their workspaces neat and organised. It will also help to prevent items from being mixed up, minimising the risk of health and safety hazards.
Laboratory mobile shelving will allow research companies to increase their storage capacity whilst maximising the space available. It will make it easier for them to locate and retrieve the equipment they need and the locking mechanism will also ensure that it remains out of the hands of unauthorised visitors.
Mobile shelving is usually made from materials like stainless steel, which is extremely durable and easy to clean, making it ideal for an environment that needs to be kept pristine.
Mobile shelving is commonly found in record offices and archiving rooms.
10. Record office
Mobile shelving is the ideal storage solution for businesses and organisations that have a lot of paper based documents to store. This includes organisations like The General Register Office (responsible for maintaining the national archive of all births, marriages and deaths in the UK) and other businesses that are responsible for maintaining important documentation.
The benefit of using mobile shelving is that it enables businesses to keep their documents in a neat and organised manner. This can be particularly beneficial when it comes to retrieving them as it makes the process far quicker and more straightforward.
Record offices can also have the mobile shelving designed to house their documents in a certain way, ensuring they are kept well preserved.
All businesses can benefit
It is not just the ten businesses and organisations featured above that can benefit from using mobile shelving; the truth is that all businesses can benefit in some way. The fact that mobile shelving units can be customised and designed to house all sorts of items makes them suitable for all business applications. Below we have shared some of the other ways you can benefit from using mobile shelving in your place of work.
Save money - Many businesses find that installing mobile shelving or roller racking can help them to save a lot of money. By maximising their storage capacity, mobile shelving units can prevent businesses from having to move to a bigger premise, helping them to save on expensive rental costs. This type of storage solution can also help businesses that need to downsize by allowing them to store the same amount of contents in a much smaller space.
Improve productivity - Mobile shelving can help to keep your office tidy and efficient. The tidier and more organised your office is, the more productively your staff will be able to work.
Easy access to files - Investing in a mobile shelving solution will mean that you can store all of your files on-site, rather than having to send them to an external location. This means you will be able to access them whenever you need to and have the peace of mind that you are in full control of them.
Long term storage solution - Another benefit of mobile shelving is that it is designed to stand the test of time. Made from robust materials like stainless steel, it is a long-term storage solution that will ensure you get your money's worth.
Suitable for all budgets - The final benefit is that mobile shelving is suitable for all budgets. This means that businesses of all sizes can afford to invest in it, no matter if they have just started out or been established years. The fact mobile shelving is built from scratch gives businesses the option to tailor it to their individual budgets.
Bespoke mobile shelving solutions
Here at Storage Aspects, we build all of our mobile shelving systems from scratch. The benefit to our customers is that their storage solutions can be designed to meet their exact needs and requirements. All of our engineers have years of experience working with mobile shelving and are therefore able to advise customers on the best solutions for their business. Below we have provided examples of some of the ways you could customise your mobile shelving unit.
Shelving options - One way you can customise your mobile storage is by choosing different shelving options. Instead of just investing in traditional shelves you could opt for drawers, roll out filing frames or even hanging space if you need to store items of clothing.
Colours and designs - Another way you can customise mobile shelving is by choosing different colours and panel designs. Some businesses choose to have their logo printed onto their mobile shelf panels, whereas others go for a simple colour that compliments their office décor.
Shapes - Many businesses have a room in their building that is so awkwardly shaped that they don't know what to do with it. The great thing about bespoke mobile shelving is that it can be designed to any specification and can therefore be shaped to fit into any space, no matter how awkward.
Automation - A customisation that more and more businesses are taking advantage of is automation. Instead of using a turn wheel to manoeuvre the shelves and create aisles, you can have your shelving automated so that you can manoeuvre it by pressing a single button. Although it is a little more expensive, many businesses prefer the convenience it offers.
Easy to expand and alter - Even after you have decided on a particular design for your bespoke mobile shelving, it doesn't have to stay that way forever. The great thing about mobile shelving is that it is very easy to expand on and alter, so if your storage requirements change, we will simply be able to come and update it for you.
Conclusion
Whether you run one of the businesses mentioned in this article or any other business, you will find it extremely beneficial to invest in a mobile shelving solution. Choose Storage Aspects to design and install it for you and benefit from the peace of mind that you are working with a highly experienced and dedicated team. We make it our mission to understand our clients' businesses and their operations so we can help find and build the best possible mobile storage solution. Whether you are looking for a simple mobile shelving unit to house paper files in your office or a large roller racking unit to hold your warehouse palettes, we are more than up for the job!
Contact us today for more information by calling 0800 033 7075.
Image credits: chelmsfordpubliclibrary, Gwan Kho, Mr.TinDC, wolfsavard, DoNotLick, ell brown, Gene Krasko Photography, giulia.forsythe, RDECOM and Media Specialist