Storage

Safe From Fire – Secure Document Storage Safe From Intruders – Safe, Secure, Protected Safe From UV Light – A Storage Solution Like Nothing On Earth Safe From Elements – 20 Million Cubic Metres of Storage Space Safe From Pests – 150 Metres Below Ground

Have you thought how much it is costing you to keep your boxes on site?

Long-term storage eats up expensive office space in prime city and town locations. Organisations are increasingly under pressure to store archives in a more cost efficient manner. Storage in controlled temperature and humidity conditions is expensive in a surface building.

We can help you release vital capital and office space for more productive and profitable purposes. Working alongside our Storage Partners we will work with you to understand your organisation’s needs and develop the best solution, both in terms of the physical design of your archive and the access and retrieval services you require.

Underground Storage

Working with our storage partners we are able to offer the ultimate in secure, safe and protected storage.

The storage site is located 150 metres below ground in one of the most secure and stable environments in Britain, within the protective void space of a Rock Salt Mine. The naturally stable atmospheric conditions provide the ideal long-term storage solution for documents and sensitive or fragile materials.

Not only is the storage incredibly secure, its atmosphere is naturally stable, so it provides the ideal environment for preserving valuable documents in prime condition. Temperature and humidity remain constant year-round.

Bespoke modular storage facilities offer great design flexibility. Boxes can simply be stored on shelving in a shared area, or customers can specify dedicated facilities, such as lockable cages and secure rooms. A combination of airlocks, refrigeration and sensitive humidity controls can be used to create customised micro-climates if required.

Secure

The facility’s unique combination of physical location and engineered design guarantees excellent protection against theft or vandalism.

Despite the vast scale of this storage resource, its presence cannot be detected above ground in the countryside where it is located. Even underground, with over 120 miles of roadways running through the mine, the facility lies still, quiet and protected.
This is not an average building. Gaining access to the facility requires clearance through both the mine and the facility’s own security systems. Once inside our partners can offer clients the option of further levels of security, for example CCTV monitoring, or access permissions decided only by you. In addition, staff are all police vetted. The risk of theft or vandalism is therefore extremely low.

Environmental Protection

The storage facility doesn’t damage the beautiful countryside - unlike unsightly warehouses. Instead, our partners make excellent use of existing resources and therefore offer a much more ecologically sound solution. The facility is naturally immune to the effects of extremes of weather, such as high winds, flooding, or lightning strikes and has no vermin or insect life to cause damage to paper records.

What makes the facility such a unique place is its incredible atmospheric stability, which prevents deterioration of even the most sensitive documents. The temperature and humidity levels remain constant year-round at 14 degrees C and 60%. This lack of fluctuation means that it is straightforward and cost-effective to provide storage in an energy efficient manner to BS5454 and BS1153 recommendations (for paper & parchment and microfilm respectively).

Safety

The facility has a highly advanced approach to fire prevention designed in consultation with specialist fire engineers.

The vast storage area is divided into smaller units protected by certified firewalls. An extremely sensitive smoke detection network constantly samples and monitors the air to provide the earliest possible warning of potential fire. This system is linked to an off site monitoring station for 24/7 coverage and back up. In addition, each room is fully equipped with the latest technology in extinguishers.

Professional & Friendly Retrieval Service

Our storage partners aim to provide an outstanding level of personalised service to our clients, combining the highest standards of security and protection with a friendly, professional and value-for-money approach. Comprehensive retrieval and delivery services mean that although your archive may be inaccessible to intruders it certainly won't be to you.

We can arrange prompt delivery of the files or boxes, or designated members of your own staff can be security cleared to have access to your archive. A full range of email interrogation, cataloguing and retrieval services is also available to support your team’s work. Should you need to undertake an audit or review of boxes stored, the underground meeting room can be made available for you.

FAQ’s

How secure is the Storage Facility?
Very. Firstly, the physical location of the storage facility is not immediately apparent above ground. Secondly, all visitors to the storage facility have to go through two security checks: one to get underground and the other to get into the the storage facility. Once underground you need intimate knowledge of the area in order to even find the storage facility. It is also possible for clients to specify further levels of security including separate secure rooms which offer an even greater degree of protection. All the storage facility staff are police vetted.

What is the quality of the storage environment?
The naturally stable atmospheric conditions underground provide the perfect environment for storing documents and sensitive or fragile materials. There is no UV light, no risk of flooding or lightning strikes, no moisture and no pests. The temperature remains at a constant 14ºC all year round together with a humidity band of 60-70%. This is a natural atmospheric state and cannot be affected by power cuts or air conditioning breakdowns.

Does it cost companies a lot of money to store their documents at the Storage Facility?
No, it is extremely competitively priced when compared to an above ground storage facility. One of the reasons for this is the vast amount of ever expanding space available underground. There is no need for the storage facility to build a new warehouse when one gets full or pay rental or building costs. The storage facility is able to pass on these savings to customers with by offering cost effective charges.

If a company needs a particular document back, how much does it cost to retrieve it?
All of the storage facilities pricing is incredibly competitively priced. Costs are agreed with the client dependent on what is required and we have no hidden charges. In addition, if you wish to leave at the end of your contract we do not charge permanent withdrawal charges.

Is the Storage Facility only for long term storage? Surely once records are down there it’s a lot of hassle to retrieve them?
The storage facility does not just provide long term storage. Records management is an equally important part of the business with many clients regularly retrieving records weekly or daily. We can quickly locate and retrieve items and deliver them within 24 hours to any UK address. If a document is needed urgently we also provide a two hour scanning and email facility.

Do you only work with large companies?
No, whether customers have 50 boxes or 500,000 we can assist them with their storage requirements.

Do you only store documents?
No, we store a huge variety of different items on behalf of our clients. The natural atmospheric conditions within the storage facility provide the perfect environment for storage. Examples of other items we store include books, police evidence and works of art.

Do you provide customer tours of the Storage Facility?
Yes. To speak to someone about arranging a tour of the storage facility please call us on 08707 558506.

Storage Prices

We will be pleased to provide a quotation to you for storing your archive within our Storage Facility. Please call us on: 08707 558506.