Spacesaver Creates a Showplace at the University of Oregon 

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Creating an efficient, secure storage system for valuable inventory.

This Philadelphia cannabis dispensary’s not only needed to convert a former bank building into an attractive and dispensary. Aside from wanting to create an attractive space for clients to browse, they also needed to comply with a number of rules and regulations.

Creating an Efficient, Secures Storage System for Valuable Inventory

<p>This Philadelphia cannabis dispensary’s layout and well-organized storage system saves staff time, simplifies inventory control, and helps ensure compliance.</p>
<h2>Reimagining a Bank</h2>
<p>The planning and design team for a new cannabis dispensary needed to convert a former bank building into an attractive and efficient dispensary. Aside from wanting to create an attractive space for clients to browse, they also needed to comply with a number of rules and regulations. Every ounce of inventory had to be accounted for at every step of the process, and no inventory could be left out on the sales floor at night.</p>

<p>One of the most important features of any cannabis dispensary is the vault. This is a highly secure area, usually on site, where product from the sales floor is stored overnight and where bulk items and infrequently accessed stock is stored.</p>
<p>They needed a way to manage the workflow surrounding product storage and dispensing in limited space, so they called on the local Spacesaver consultant for advice.</p>



<h3>Flexible Bin System</h3>
<p>The local Spacesaver consultant provided an ingenious solution: a different Spacesaver system for each of two areas in the dispensary’s secure vault, and a bin system to store and transfer product between the two areas.</p>


<p>The fulfillment room is a small chamber in the vault where an employee fills and dispenses customer orders. A <b>Spacesaver Lateral FrameWRX HD Storage System</b> makes the most of limited space: the front shelving sections are mounted on carriages that move from side to side to allow access to the back row of stationary shelving.</p>

<p>Space inside the vault, which is the actual steel-lined vault left over from the bank, is optimized with a <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems" aria-label="high-density mobile sytem product details">Spacesaver high-density mobile storage system</a>. This area consists of bulk storage.</p>

<p>The systems in both areas are fitted with <a href="/products/specialty-storage/modular-systems" aria-label="modular system product details">Spacesaver’s EZ Rail® Element</a> to hold industry standard plastic bins. The customer provided a cart to move bins efficiently from one area to the other.</p>

<h2>Dispensary Storage Systems</h2>
<p>The system keeps inventory organized and accessible, and it’s far more efficient than moving products every night. Because the fulfillment room is part of the vault, only the stock out on the sales floor needs to be moved and secured at closing time. Best of all, the storage systems optimize the dispensary’s floor plan and layout to create more space for customers to browse.</p>
<p>The clients are so pleased with how the systems are working that they’ve asked the local Spacesaver consultant to design storage systems for two additional locations.</p>


<h3>Create Your Optimal Cannabis Dispensary Layout</h3>
<p>Need help designing your optimal layout? <a href="/business/dispensaries" aria-label="dispensaries storage solutions">Get more ideas and resources</a> for help in creating a dispensary floor plan that provides compact and accessible storage for your business.</p>

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Spacesaver office lockers help create a workplace that reflects a firm's commitment to sustainability.

Sustainable Office Lockers for a Global Firm

<h2>Designing a Sustainable Office</h2>
<p>With a focus on sustainable living, this consumer goods company encompasses hundreds of brands worldwide and is committed to creating products and distribution systems that minimize environmental impacts. It also invests in social and environmental programs that promote long-term solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems.</p>
<p>When the time came to remodel the firm’s Canadian headquarters, the planning team wanted its commitment to sustainability to extend to every aspect of the renovation project. One of the top priorities was to create a modern work environment using furniture and fixtures that would endure years of daily use.</p>

<h2>An Open Concept</h2>
<p>In order to reflect current trends and optimize the space in a Toronto high-rise, the firm wanted to pursue an open office or “hoteling” concept throughout the headquarters. In this approach to interior design, employees don’t have assigned desks or offices. Instead, they choose different work environments that best suit their needs throughout a particular day. An employee might work in a small “phone booth” for an hour or two, then move to a conference room or casual meeting space to collaborate with colleagues, and then spend the rest of the day at a workstation in a “heads down” area.</p>

<p>While this design model is appealing for many reasons, it can result in a lack of personal storage space. Without permanently assigned desks or offices, employees need a place to store electronic devices, workout gear, snacks, and other items.</p>
<p>For this project, the design team decided that 400 locker openings over the firm’s two floors would provide enough personal storage for current employees while also providing room to grow in the future.</p>

Manufactured with 25% recycled steel content, our Day Use Lockers optimize form and function, providing secure storage for personal items. Download the product brochure for all configurations and options.

Day Use Locker Product Details

<h2>A Secure, Sustainable Solution</h2>
<p>The designers knew that the client wanted <a href="/products/lockers/day-use-locker" aria-label=“day use locker product details”>sustainable office lockers</a> and other furnishings that would reflect the firm’s commitment to “going green.” The design team reached out to the local Spacesaver distributor to not only learn about available locker options, but also to find out more about <a href="/sustainability-practices" aria-label="spacesaver sustainable practices">Spacesaver’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing processes</a>.</p>
<p>They learned that <a href="/about-us" aria-label="about spacesaver">Spacesaver is a 100% employee-owned firm</a> that’s still located in the small Wisconsin town where it was founded nearly 50 years ago. They also learned that the company has implemented a number of resource conservation measures over the years, including an on-site water treatment system and a program that won a statewide award for reduction in energy use.</p>

<h2>Putting It All Together</h2>
<p>After determining that <a href="/sustainability-practices" aria-label=“spacesaver corporation sustainably practices”>Spacesaver’s sustainability efforts</a> were a good match for the client, the design team worked with the local Spacesaver distributor to <a href="/products/lockers/day-use-locker" aria-label="office locker product details">design office lockers</a> that would be a perfect fit for employees’ needs and the available space. They designed alcoves for the lockers near entry points to allow for convenient access. They chose a five-tier option that would optimize space and storage capacity, and they had the lockers fitted with combination locks to prevent issues with lost keys and dead batteries.</p>
<p>Finally, to give the lockers a thoroughly modern look while keeping options open in the future, the designers worked with the Spacesaver consultant to design a unique look for the locker numbering system. The design team chose the font and the size, and the Spacesaver consultant worked with his contact at a local vinyl firm to produce the numbers and apply them to the locker doors. In the future, these numbers can be removed and replaced to give the lockers a new, fresh look without the expense and environmental impact of ordering new lockers.</p>
<p><b>The end result is a sturdy yet attractive solution that provides secure storage in a sustainable way.</b> </p>

<p>Download Sustainable Solutions for a Global Firm Case Study.</p>

Download this story

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Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment

Day Lockers in an Open Office

<h2>Day Lockers for a Renovated Office</h2>
<p>The leadership team of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the parent company of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors, and other sports teams and a variety of entertainment venues, wanted to remodel their headquarters to reflect a fresh and modern approach.</p>
<p>They wanted the new office spaces to be bright and inspiring, and to take advantage of natural light and city views throughout the headquarters’ multiple floors. They also wanted to create comfortable work spaces for every employee even though expanding the office’s footprint wasn’t an option in the densely populated downtown area.</p>
<p>The interior design team removed outmoded cubicles and most private offices to bring in light and open up views, and they designed collaborative work areas, benching systems, and glass-walled conference rooms.</p>
<p>The new design approach meant that everyone would be able to enjoy a brighter, more open workplace, but it also presented a challenge: personal space would be more limited, and employees would need storage for coats, boots, and other belongings.</p>

<h2>Personal Storage in an Open Environment</h2>
<p>The design team knew that the “open office” strategy would create a more modern and appealing work environment, but it would also reduce personal storage space for employees. The designers approached the local Spacesaver consultant for help. They were wondering if Spacesaver could <b>design day lockers that would store coats, winter boots, and other personal belongings in corridors located on each floor</b>. In addition to optimizing space, the lockers needed to be sleek and streamlined to complement the offices’ modern aesthetic.</p>

<h2>A Creative Way to Optimize Space</h2>
<p>The local consultant worked with the designers and Spacesaver’s engineering team. Together they modified <a href="/products/lockers/day-use-locker" aria-label=“day use locker product details”>Spacesaver’s Day Use Locker</a> design to develop the concept of “Z Lockers.”</p>
<p>These day lockers optimize space by providing full-width compartments for storing shoes or gym bags at the top and bottom of each pair of lockers, along with half-width compartments for storing a coat or jacket. They’re conveniently located in corridors adjacent to work areas.</p>
<p>The lockers provide convenient storage, make the best use of limited space, and enhance the look of the new offices. The designers wanted the lockers to help unify the building’s multiple floors, each of which featured a different accent color. They chose high-pressure laminate for the over-frame doors and they specified blue-grey to coordinate with all the accent colors and help provide continuity throughout the headquarters facility. To coordinate with the laminate, the steel frames bases were powder-coat painted to match.</p>

<div style="text-align: left">
<h6>Day Lockers pictured here:</h6>
<ul>
<li>69” tall Z Lockers</li>
<li>HPL (high-pressure<br>
laminate) in blue-grey</li>
<li>Key locks<br>
(no batteries required)</li>
<li>Door pulls</li>
<li>4” recessed base</li>
</ul>

 </div>

<p>Download Open Office with Room for Personal Storage Case Study</p>

Download & Share this Case Study

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See how this rapidly growing firm used modular office lockers to create a sleek, stylish work environment. Some lockers store refrigerated medications.

Modular Office Lockers for a Growing Firm

<h2>A Creative Work Environment</h2>
<p>Talented creative teams are the key to this advertising agency’s success, so keeping employees engaged and inspired is one of the firm’s top priorities. When the time came to open a new office in Toronto, the firm’s leaders wanted to create an open work environment that would reflect their commitment to innovation and collaboration. They also wanted a flexible space that could accommodate additional team members as the company grew.</p>
<p>In order to meet these goals, the project design team created an open office concept over multiple floors of a downtown high-rise. Tall windows around the outer perimeter fill the space with natural light and inspiring city views. A mix of workstations and collaboration areas allows employees to choose the right work environment at any given moment.</p>

Designing spaces to promote creative collaboration.

<h2>The Need for Personal Storage</h2>
<p>In an open office, most employees don’t have assigned desks or offices. Instead, they choose different work environments that best suit their needs throughout a particular day. An employee might participate in video calls in a “phone booth” for an hour or two, then move to a casual meeting space to collaborate with colleagues, and then spend a few hours at a workstation or in the cafe.</p>
<p>While this design model fosters creative collaboration, it can result in a lack of personal storage space. Without permanently assigned desks or offices, employees need a place to <a href="/products/lockers/day-use-locker" aria-label="day use locker product details">store personal electronics, gym bags, and other items</a>. Some employees also need secure storage for insulin and other medications that need to be refrigerated.</p>

<h3>Lockers for Refrigerated Medications</h3>
<p>Some of the firm’s employees needed space to store insulin and other medications that require refrigeration. Special perforated lockers were specified to provide privacy and security, along with ventilation for small refrigeration units. These lockers were sized and painted to fit in seamlessly with other modular office lockers, and they’re conveniently located near the cafe and kitchen areas.</p>

Modular office lockers are reconfigurable and provide room to grow.

<h2>A Modular Approach</h2>
<p>Rather than designing banks of uniform locker sizes, the design team worked with the local Spacesaver distributor to design lockers in a variety of sizes that could be mixed and matched. That’s because <a href="/products/lockers/day-use-locker" aria-label="day use locker product details">day use lockers</a> were a relatively new concept for the firm and the design team wasn’t sure how employees would prefer to use them. They thought it would be a good idea to provide a mix of locker opening sizes on each floor, but they also wanted to keep things flexible in case a particular layout was underutilized.</p>
<p>After the lockers had been installed and used for a few weeks, they found that the employees actually preferred layouts in which all locker openings were the same size. They decided to move certain columns of lockers in order to have uniform sizes on each floor.</p>
<p>Larger lockers were placed on floors where fewer employees worked, and there was still space to add additional columns of lockers in the future. The end result is an aesthetically pleasing personal storage system that provides security and room to grow.</p>

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Protecting intellectual property at a technology firm.

Office Lockers for Sleek Security

<h2>Securing Belongings in an Open Office</h2>
<p>This high-profile technology consulting firm is as agile as the clients it serves. When a new client signs on with the firm, a specialized team is created to serve the client’s needs. As these teams grow and change over time, the company expands offices and opens up new workplaces in North America and around the globe.</p>
<p>Because the firm’s clients want to ensure that their intellectual property is secure, employees are not allowed to take their phones or other personal electronic devices into work areas. That means employees need secure, reliable office lockers to store their phones and other personal belongings while they’re working.</p>

<p>Download for Day Use Locker Details</p>

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Personal electronics cannot be brought into work areas.

<h2>Peace of Mind</h2>
<p>In years past, the firm had purchased lower quality personal lockers to store employees’ belongings, but the initial cost savings were soon erased by the expense of frequent repairs and replacements. After years of maintenance headaches, the firm decided to upgrade to <a href="/products/lockers/day-use-locker" aria-label="day use locker details">steel Spacesaver lockers</a> with over-frame doors.</p>
<p>The new steel office lockers are attractive and trouble-free, and they help create spaces where employees can store their personal electronics with confidence. The lockers are secured with an integrated combination lock and they’re “shared use,” meaning that anyone can claim and use an available locker. A master combination allows authorized personnel to access any locker, and the locks don’t require batteries, which eliminates the environmental and labor costs associated with replacing thousands of batteries every few years.</p>

Employees can focus on their work, knowing their belongings are secure.

<h2>Optimizing Space</h2>
<p>The firm’s offices are designed around the “hoteling” or “hot-desking” concept, featuring common areas that include a mix of collaboration spaces, phone booths, and desks. Most employees don’t have permanently assigned offices or cubicles; instead they choose the work environment that best suits their needs at a particular time.</p>
<p>This arrangement is a win-win for employees and the company’s bottom line: employees get to choose where they want to work throughout the day, and the firm saves on real estate costs by eliminating space-wasting personal offices.</p>

<h2>Dramatic Design</h2>
<p>This particular office needed hundreds of lockers, which meant the banks of lockers on each floor became a design element in their own right. The designers saw the <a href="/products/lockers/day-use-locker" aria-label="day use locker product details">Spacesaver office lockers’</a> sleek, clean look as an opportunity to bring color and personality into potentially uninspiring spaces.</p>
<p>The Spacesaver consultant worked with the design firm to specify sizes and colors that were a perfect fit. A single contrasting stripe set into banks of dark-colored lockers helps unify spaces throughout the building while also drawing the eye toward scenic views and featured artwork.</p>

<div style="text-align: left;">
<h4>Lockers pictured here:</h4>
<ul>
<li>74” tall columns with 5 tiers</li>
<li>Steel over-frame doors</li>
<li>Integrated combination locks (no batteries required)</li>
<li>Standard colors: blue-grey and white</li>
<li>4” recessed base</li>
</ul>
</div>

<h2>Reinforcing Culture</h2>
<p>In a dynamic consultancy, teams change from project to project and from year to year, so the firm’s offices need to be flexible while also maintaining a cohesive look and feel. This presents perhaps the biggest design challenge of all: establishing and maintaining company culture among ever-changing teams.</p>
<p>That’s why the firm has invested in professional interior design and quality furnishings and fixtures. A strong commitment to quality and innovation is apparent from the first moment a new employee steps into the building.</p>
<h2>Connect With the Experts</h2>
<p>We understand that innovative workplaces boost employee engagement and productivity. That’s why we work with architects, designers, and our clients to design office lockers that are as attractive as they are practical.</p>
<p class="ssc-white">As you begin designing a new or renovated office, <a href="/contact-us" aria-label="contact spacesaver">contact us to request a free space assessment</a> and learn more about your options.</p>

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See how this activity-based workplace in the heart of Manhattan uses day lockers for employee comfort and security.

Creating an appealing work environment and optimizing expensive square footage in the heart of Manhattan.

Comfort & Convenience in an Activity-Based Workplace

<h2>Proven Concept, Expanded Approach</h2>
<p>A major accounting firm introduced the concept of “hoteling” or “hot desking” at its Manhattan location several years ago in an effort to improve employee satisfaction in an open office environment. The concept worked well and the firm’s leadership decided to expand on it when they moved to a new office at Times Square.</p>



<h2>A Sleek, Bright Appearance</h2>
<p>The design team was committed to creating an appealing work environment while also optimizing the expensive square footage in one of Manhattan’s most prestigious buildings. The perimeter of the new buildout would have stunning views of Times Square and the surrounding area, and the corridors and workspaces toward the building’s core also needed to be bright and welcoming.</p>
<p>The project required nearly 700 day lockers over three floors, and the lockers took up so much wall space that they actually became a design element throughout the new office. To brighten interior corridors and create a feeling of openness, the design team chose steel day lockers with high-pressure laminate fronts in a warm white tone.</p>



The firm invests heavily in recruiting and retaining top employees. A modern, well-functioning workplace plays a significant role in those efforts.

<h2>Comfort & Convenience</h2>
<p>In addition to enhancing the interior design of the new space, the day lockers needed to be convenient and easy to use. The lockers would be accessed multiple times a day by nearly every employee, so reliable, trouble-free operation was an essential consideration as the design team weighed their options. The lockers would help employees mark the transition from personal time to their work day. The design team wanted to make that transition as seamless and pleasant as possible.</p>
<p>Staff had been using “gym style” temporary lockers with keys at the old location, but that proved to be cumbersome. Staff would place their belongings in an available locker, turn the key, and take the key with them. At break time or at the end of the day, they would use the key to unlock the locker and the key would stay in the lock, indicating the locker’s availability. Because staff got a new key every time they used a locker, the keys were often lost or misplaced. That led to inconvenience and wasted time.</p>
<p>The design team decided the new office would feature permanently assigned lockers with combination locks. In addition to the combination locks, office services staff have a master key that can unlock any locker. To help prevent lockouts, the office services manager keeps a roster of every employee, their assigned locker, and their combination.</p>

	



<p>Download Comfort and Convenience in Flexible Office Design Case Study</p>

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<h2>Unexpected uses</h2>
<p>The day lockers have been useful in other, unforeseen ways.</p>
<p>For instance, many of the firm’s employees shop online and have packages delivered to the office. The problem is that the small mailrooms on each floor only have space for letters and bills; they’re not equipped to handle boxes. That’s why the lockers have become an extension of the mailroom. When a package arrives for an employee, office services staff use the master key or the combination from the roster to unlock the locker and place the parcel inside.</p>


<p>The lockers’ internal ventilation has also been useful. As part of the firm’s commitment to employee health and well-being, free fruit and other snacks are set out for employees every morning. Employees tend to make their selections and place them in their day lockers for safekeeping, and they often leave fruit in the lockers overnight with the intention of eating it the next day. Sometimes, though, they decide to work remotely for a few days or get called to a multi-day meeting in another city. When that happens, gaps along the lockers’ interior corners allow odors to escape and alert office services staff. Staff can then open the lockers and remove the fruit before it becomes a more serious problem.</p>

<h2>Enduring solutions for modern workplaces</h2>
<p>At Spacesaver, we know that innovative workplaces boost employee engagement and productivity. That’s why we work with architects, designers, and our clients to design solutions that are as attractive as they are practical.</p>
<p>As you begin designing a new or renovated office, <a href="https://www.spacesaver.com/contact-us">contact your local Spacesaver consultant</a> to request a free space assessment and learn more about your options.</p>


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Day Lockers in Manhattan Flexible Office

HELM Boots in Austin, Texas, uses space-saving retail design to maximize space in its small shop.

Space-saving Retail Design

<h2>Small Retail Space, lots of Inventory</h2>
<p>Based in Austin, Texas, HELM Boots designs and manufactures high-quality leather boots, belts, and other merchandise that’s made in the USA. The company primarily sells its products through its website and decided about a year ago to move into its new flagship location on Austin’s east side. </p>
<p>The new location would result in more foot traffic, but it was smaller than the previous retail store. Despite the smaller space, the shop still needed to keep inventory on hand to allow for customer try on and to convey the look and feel of the brand.</p>

<p>Do you need more space in your retail store? See how HELM Boots Store was able to work with Spacesaver to create a space-saving&nbsp;retail design.</p>

Download the Whole Story

HELM founder 

<h2> Shelves that Move</h2>
<p>The company’s creative director had seen Spacesaver systems in a library, and the store’s design team wondered if they could modify the concept for use in a <a href="/business/retail" aria-label=“retail storage solutions details”>retail setting</a>. They contacted the Austin-based Spacesaver distributor to discuss various considerations like how the shelving could be configured, where the system could be located within the retail space, what the optimal size would be, and other options. They decided to go for it, and the Spacesaver team swung into action. “The guys were great about coming out and measuring, and we talked a lot about how wide it needed to be, the space in between, and how high,” Day said. “We did the right work up front.”</p>

<p>Aside from the technical details, Day wanted the system’s appearance to reflect the brand’s commitment to quality. “We wanted to have a look and feel that’s consistent with a brand that sells premium shoes,” he said. “We talked about the color and the texture and what was the right feel for what we’re trying to accomplish, which was a bit more of an elevated look in the store, a bit more elegant.”</p>


<h2>‘People Love It’</h2>
<p>The end result is a compact shelving system that’s as functional and stylish as the product it stores. The system is robust enough to store all the inventory required, while still being easily accessible by the clerks and complementing the store’s interior design. “People love it,” Day said. “They think it’s super clever.”</p>
<p>Day added that the Spacesaver solution is ideal, particularly for shops that need to make the most of every square inch of available space. “It’s been perfect,” he said. “We couldn’t have asked for a better solution in a small store. It provides what we need functionally, but also gives a look, and feel and aesthetic that fits with HELM.”</p>

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Häfele America Co., a manufacturer and distributor of upscale residential and commercial hardware, recently designed a new showroom in Manhattan to showcase its innovative fittings, slides, and other products. The design team wanted every aspect.

Space-saving Showroom Display

<p>Häfele America Co., a manufacturer and distributor of upscale residential and commercial hardware, recently designed a new showroom in Manhattan to showcase its innovative fittings, slides, and other products. The design team wanted every aspect of the showroom display to reflect Häfele’s dedication to innovation and premium quality.</p>
<p>The situation presented the design team with a challenge: the new space would be smaller than the previous showroom, yet the company’s product lines were expanding and more product would need to be displayed.</p>
<p>A Spacesaver compact storage system provided the ideal solution. The project architects, from the firm Perkins+Will, had worked with Spacesaver on previous projects and thought the carriage-and-rail concept would be a perfect fit, both for the physical space and in terms of Häfele’s commitment to quality.</p>


<p>See how this Manhattan showroom used a smaller space and had to store a bigger product line.</p>

Are you dealing with a small space? 

<p>They also designed custom millwork, which includes display space at eye level and drawers below for storage, to display and store product in an attractive, easy-to-use format. Every aisle has a topic, from LED lighting to functional hardware like drawer slides, and icons on the sides of the Spacesaver system convey the theme of each aisle. Spacesaver’s Touch Technology Control provides intuitive carriage operation, allowing users to open an aisle with the press of a button.</p>

senior marketing manager for Häfele America Co.

<p>The client is thrilled with the system. “It’s transformative,” said Christine Bengtson, senior marketing manager for Häfele America Co., who oversaw the design project. “You can be standing in one aisle, talking about small items like hinges, and then you simply press a button and walk two feet over and you’re talking about massive sliding architectural hardware. This system is a key element in our showroom, providing us the flexibility for transforming our space.”</p>
<p>Bengtson added that the Spacesaver system integrates perfectly with Häfele’s mission and philosophy, providing an impressive and innovative experience to showroom visitors. “It’s always a ‘wow’ moment for our customers,” she said.</p>

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Save space, improve customer service, and boost staff morale with improved back-of-house hospitality storage. Includes a downloadable tip sheet.

A Seattle-area gaming resort improves customer service by maximizing back-of-house hospitality storage space.

Hospitality Storage Tips and Best Practices

General Manager, Tulalip Resort Casino

<p>Tulalip Resort Casino, located about an hour north of Seattle, is the largest and most distinctive meeting, gaming, dining, and entertainment destination in Washington State. With 370 guest rooms, numerous restaurants, gaming areas, and nearly 60,000 square feet of banquet and meeting space, the property boasts a complete and diverse destination experience — and as the property grows and changes, so do the pressures on its storage areas.</p>
<p>When Sam Askew joined Tulalip Resort Casino as general manager, he saw several opportunities to improve the property’s back-of-house storage areas. The property was using traditional warehouse racking to store tables, decor, cleaning supplies, and other items, but the storage areas were cramped and ineffective. “There were bins on top of other bins, tables stacked on tables, and more often than not, you had to move something to get to something else,” he said.</p>


<p>It was a situation he had seen all too many times before. Since storage space doesn’t directly generate revenue, it’s often perceived to have less value. But Askew says that’s a mistaken idea. “So many properties forego storage&nbsp;space for guest features up front,” he said. “But heart of the house impacts our guests just as much as new carpets or sofas in the lobby.”</p>
<p>With a desire to improve customer service, reduce the risk of staff injuries, and boost turnaround times, Askew committed to re-thinking the property’s storage areas.</p>


The nearby Spacesaver consultant worked with resort management and the project architect to develop detailed storage plans.

<h2>A Surprising Realization: Shelves Can Move</h2>
<p>Like many general managers, Askew originally thought the property’s shelving and racking had to remain stationary (had to stay in one place) because that’s all he’d ever seen. But he had used Spacesaver compact file storage systems&nbsp;in the past, and he wondered if the concept could be applied to heavier items like tables, tableware, and boxes of cleaning solutions. When his architect showed him a video of the <a href="/products/high-density-mobile-systems/heavy-duty-mobile-racking" aria-label="heavy duty mobile system product details">ActivRAC® system</a> in use, he instantly knew it would be a game-changer for him and his staff.</p>
<p>He knew that the aisles between the pallet racks were empty most of the time. He also knew he could put that empty space to good use. By installing the property’s existing shelving units and pallet racking on carriages that move along rails installed in the floor, a compact storage system could be created that would eliminate wasted space in the aisles. The staff could easily open dynamic aisles at the point of need, making retrieval fast and efficient.</p>

<p>Sam Askew, general manager of Tulalip Resort Casino, shares detailed back-of-house storage tips in the document below:</p>

Tips from a Top Resort Manager

<p>Wanting to learn more about the ActivRAC system, Askew contacted the Seattle-based Spacesaver distributor. The distributor sent a design consultant to the property to assess the space and discuss options with Askew and other decision-makers. They quickly decided that ActivRAC was the way to go, particularly when they learned that their existing racking and shelving could be mounted on the system.</p>
<p>Because a number of details must be considered when designing and installing a compact mobile storage system that moves on rails, Spacesaver’s design consultant visited the property several more times to gain a thorough understanding of the existing space and the items to be stored. For instance, the building was constructed with post-tension framing and a poured concrete floor, so the ActivRAC’s rail system had to be designed to avoid the cables embedded in the floor. Other architectural and design considerations included the room’s odd triangular shape, the location of various support columns, and the sprinkler system.</p>



<p>Before placing the final order, the Spacesaver consultant visited one last time to be certain that the measurements and plans were correct. “I remember him climbing up on our existing racks to be sure he had accurate measurements,” Askew said. “And it wasn’t just throwing a tape. It was ‘Hey, I need to put a laser up here, I need to move a few boxes.’ It was quite the jungle gym accomplishment and when we got the drawings back we could see it would fit perfectly.”</p>
<p>Adding to the project’s complexity was the fact that an internal wall needed to be moved to create a new workspace in an adjacent room. This was no problem for the Spacesaver team — they worked with the architect and the internal construction crew to make sure their efforts were coordinated. The new walls went up as the ActivRAC installation team came in behind them with the rails.</p>

<h2>The property saw the following benefits</h2>
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<h6 style="margin-bottom: 0;">Saves Space</h6>
<p style="margin-top: 0;">The property has grown rapidly over the past few years, and Askew and his staff have had to figure out how to store more items in the same amount of space. ActivRAC systems have allowed them to save space while still ensuring staff safety.</p>
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<h6 style="margin-bottom: 0;">Saves Time</h6>
<p style="margin-top: 0;">Staff can almost instantly retrieve necessary items – even large and heavy items like tables. They no longer have to move several bins or tables to get to the one they need.</p>
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<h6 style="margin-bottom: 0;">Improves Morale</h6>
<p style="margin-top: 0;">Staff are able to focus on their mission, rather than struggling with inconvenient storage.</p>
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<h6 style="margin-bottom: 0;">Frees up space for other uses.</h6>
<p style="margin-top: 0;">The first ActivRAC installation freed up enough storage space that the property was able to purchase serpentine tables and other items that enhance the guest experience as well as the property’s revenue stream.</p>
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<h2>Winning Over the Staff</h2>
<p>“I have to say, our team was skeptical at first,” Askew said, referring to the staff’s reaction to the news that an ActivRAC system would be installed to move their existing pallet racks along rails in the floor. They were concerned that those pallet racks, when loaded with tables, cleaning supplies, and other heavy items, would be difficult or impossible to move. “It wasn’t something the team had seen before, and change in general is a scary thing. We were talking about coming in and taking out everything that they knew and replacing it with something completely and totally alien to them.”</p>
<p>But the staff immediately realized that the system’s mechanical assist handles allowed them to move thousands of pounds with minimal effort. The system also removed the time-consuming and potentially dangerous situations posed by stacking bins and tables on top of each other.</p>
<p>The Spacesaver consultant also worked with the staff to optimize storage on the mobile racking. He and the installation team removed shelves in some areas to accommodate large tables, and they added shelves in other areas for cleaning supplies and other smaller items. They installed hanging rods so staff could hang freshly pressed table linens, as well as protective rails to keep tables from falling off the shelves. When everything was in place, team leaders photographed the well-organized shelving areas and posted the photos near the ActivRAC handles to demonstrate which items should go where. The system is fully configurable, so staff can rearrange shelving as their needs change over time.</p>
<p>Askew said the staff was quickly won over. “The ease of movement is fantastic for them. When we’re setting up a room for an event, we need so many different parts and pieces. If a client changes their need, we’re able to accommodate that need at a moment’s notice. The fact that it moves so quickly, and the fact that it helps with organization — you don’t have to hunt for things, it’s at your fingertips when you need it — that’s the best part.”</p>
<p>It worked so well — and the staff liked it so much — that he installed another. And another. Plans are in the works to add a second tower at the property, so now even more ActivRAC projects are on the drawing board.</p>

<h2>An Ongoing Relationship</h2>
<p>While decision-makers at the property appreciated ActivRAC’s configurability, they also liked the fact that the entire system, rails and all, could be pulled up and used in a different location if necessary. They have remained in close contact with their nearby Spacesaver affiliate to ensure that they understand all the options and possibilities available to them as the property grows.</p>

<p>“It’s an ever-changing industry, and for us it’s an ever-changing property,” Askew said. “We have renovation plans, growth plans, and we needed something that was the be-all, end-all of multiple use systems.” When the second tower is built, the current storage area&nbsp;will become office space. He is planning to&nbsp;pull up the ActivRAC tracks and carriages and re-use them in the new building. They are also considering a larger ActivRAC system for slot machine maintenance and repair, and another for pick stations for housekeeping carts.</p>
<p>Askew says he has been pleased with Spacesaver’s ongoing help in all phases of every project, from collaborating on ideas early in the design process, through product installation, to ongoing maintenance and help with new projects. It’s a cycle that he thinks will keep repeating. “For us to get more storage into play, ActivRAC is the way to go,” he said.</p>

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A DC law firm integrates Spacesaver's storage solutions into its minimalist interior design for functional, aesthetically pleasing law firm storage.

Spacesaver high-density storage systems seamlessly integrate into this modern law firm space.

Incorporating Law Firm Storage into Minimalist Design

<p>In 2010, an international law firm underwent a total building renovation in order to create a more contemporary work environment for their growing practice. They also wanted to build to LEED® Silver standards, making the interior space more sustainable.</p>
<p>The existing layout of the 1980’s building was disjointed and functioned almost like separate buildings within a larger structure, so achieving all of the firm’s goals was even more challenging for the architectural firm and associated contractors.</p>
<p>While modernizing the look of this law firm’s space was crucial, the need to maintain the day-to-day functions of a legal practice was equally important. Space needed to be allocated for records, documents and a legal library, all within a sleek, minimalist design where even the footprints allotted for lawyers’ offices were being reduced in order to maximize growth potential.</p>

<p>Spacesaver’s design consultants can work with your architect and planning team to ensure that your storage solutions integrate with your interior design.</p>

Download a printable version of this article

The law firm’s storage needed to be functional and aesthetically pleasing.

<h2>Storage Solutions as Design Elements</h2>
<p>The firm was a long-term client of a local authorized Spacesaver representative in Washington D.C., and was familiar with the high-density mobile concept from many years of use in their facilities. They worked with SpacesaverInforlinx to install several systems throughout the new space including Litigation, Records, and the Library, in order to maximize storage capacity and conserve space for other functions like meetings spaces, open areas and even a full service café.</p>
<p>Not only did the high-density shelving need to function as a space-saving storage solution, but it needed to integrate into the overall aesthetic of the space. One of the strategies for accomplishing this was to use brightly colored 3Form (an acrylic material) and rare, rapidly renewable wood end panels on the mobile systems throughout. These features really accented the interior design, and helped to blend the storage systems with the rest of the interior.</p>
<p>The library is one of the main attractions in the building, and a high-density mobile system is installed here, in what they refer to as the “Boulevard,” the main access aisle through the entire space for both clients and staff.</p>

The recycled steel in Spacesaver products helped achieve LEED certification.

<p>The installation of this showcase system was atypical due to the terrazzo floor. A custom metal ramp was designed and then leveled with concrete to align with the terrazzo, making the system flush with the remainder of the floor. Though difficult, SpacesaverInfolinx stepped up to this installation challenge to assist the firm in meeting their design goals.</p>
<p>This law office is truly a modern environment that blends form and function through highly efficient design.</p>



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As more companies adopt a more agile approach to project management and product innovation, a need for configurable workspaces, with an integration of analog and digital engagement, will become more common. Spacesaver provides the base for configurable space at a Bay Area think tank.

Spacesaver provides the base for configurable space at a Bay Area think tank.

Moveable walls at GE Software Design Center

<p>As more companies adopt a more agile approach to project management and product innovation, a need for configurable workspaces, with an integration of analog and digital engagement, will become more common.</p>
<p>You’ve heard of the Industrial Revolution. Two hundred years later, the Industrial Internet is poised to have an equally large impact on the future of the global economy. Coined by General Electric, the term “Industrial Internet” refers to the integration of machines and software. The Industrial Internet combines machine learning, big data, and machine-to-machine communication to analyze and improve operations.</p>
<p>In short, it’s The Next Big Thing.</p>

A Spacesaver carriage-and-rail system serves as the platform for the architect’s vision.

<h2>A collaborative, configurable workspace</h2>
<p>Imagine you own a wind farm, and your wind turbines are embedded with sensors that are able to signal software—software that uses both real and historical data to produce an additional 5-10% of power, translating into a 20% increase in profits.</p>
<p>Might seem a bit crazy, but for the engineers at GE Software, this scenario isn’t very far away. From taking a closer look at power generators and railroad networks to tracking oil and gas pipelines, the company has one goal: to link data, networks, and machines to remake industry, boost productivity, and launch a new age of prosperity and growth on a global scale.</p>
<p>A goal of this magnitude needs a home base, which is why GE embarked on a 14,000 sq. ft. Design Center/Think Tank space within its headquarters—a place where teams and customers from all over the globe can come together to communicate and collaborate in real time, decreasing the length of the innovation cycle and increasing the speed of innovation adoption. The space includes a briefing theatre to kick off new projects, a mobile conference area with moveable walls to create custom-sized rooms, and a 360-degree virtual environment.</p>
<p><a href="https://raptstudio.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rapt Studio</a>, an international architecture firm with an office in San Francisco, was asked to design the space, and when the group started to piece together their vision, one particular inspiration stood out—flexible spaces created by mobile storage at the Seattle Public Library. The gift shop, which was designed by the in-house engineering team at Spacesaver, is housed in a high-density mobile shelving system and is able to compact itself depending on if the shop is opened or closed. Soon after, they reached out to Systems &amp; Space (SSI), an authorized Spacesaver distributor located in the San Francisco Bay Area.</p>

Systems and Space

<p>SSI had worked with Rapt on several projects over the years, and when the designers approached the company to collaborate, they were more than willing. “Rapt appreciated the way the mobile systems were able to translate into flexible space,” says Ski Hottinger,&nbsp;Director of Sales at SSI. “They knew they wanted something similar for the mobile conference room in GE’s Think Tank.” </p>
<p>With this idea in mind, the two companies set about building a series of mobile walls. First, Hottinger and his team worked with Spacesaver to construct eight custom manual carriages that were 24” wide by 18’ long. The carriages sat on a four individual 118’ L-rails with roller guides, which were mounted onto a concrete slab. Locking plates, installed in 5’ increments, allowed for each of the carriages to expand or contract as needed, and a key lock was installed on each end of the carriage to lock the wall in place.</p>

<p>Using the carriages as a guide, Rapt was able to design an 800 lb. steel structure, which was mounted to the carriage system to create a wall base. Design and technological elements were implemented into each individual wall, consisting of a full white board with a digital videoconferencing camera, an HD flat touchscreen, and an iPad, which controls climate, lighting, sounds, and video of each conference room “pod”—the term GE uses for the spaces created by the mobile walls.</p>

Architects were inspired by Spacesaver’s work with configurable space at the Seattle Public Library.

<h2>A Space that Connects & Inspires</h2>
<p>In addition to the carriages, Rapt also designed a floating glass Nano wall, which is a modular glass wall divided into 5’ sections with operable doors for each pod. The wall hangs on a track from a unistrut. There are no floor supports for the wall, and it can either be fully enabled along the 118’ length of the conference rooms, or tucked neatly behind the first and last carriage on each end. This allows for the privacy and further soundproofing of the pods.</p>
<p>The result of this collaboration between an architecture firm and Spacesaver storage consultants is a GE Think Tank space that is able to connect and inspire GE team members and customers alike, no matter where those people happen to be in the world. From the looks of it, these kinds of spaces are only the beginning—as more global companies such as GE begin to adopt a more agile approach to project management and product innovation, a need for these spaces, with an integration of analog and digital engagement, will become more common.</p>
<p>For Hottinger, this particular project was made successful by the integration of thinking between the architects at Rapt and the “space specialists” of Systems and Space.</p>
<p>“What really makes this installation stand out is that we created a fairly simple engineered solution to the client’s needs—and the architects and designers were able to imagine and build something pretty creative with the base we provided,” he says. “This is the kind of partnership with architects and designers that we really enjoy—when we both get to contribute our expertise and make an amazing space happen.”</p>

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Moveable walls at the GE Software Design Center

Spacesaver's Touch Technology Control provides easy access to files for authorized staff while protecting confidential files from unauthorized access.

A Natural Gas Company uses Spacesaver’s® Touch Technology Control™ to restrict access to employees’ personal information.

Protecting Confidential Files

Human Resources Benefits Consultant

<h2>Preventing Workplace Security Breaches</h2>
<p>Workplaces breaches in security are very real, and even though stories about digitized files and computer data are often featured in the news, the most common scenario is a simple one: A single employee gains access to paper copies of personal information about the company’s other employees and exploits that information.</p>
<p>And with employers being held liable for any harm suffered by employees on account of a workplace breach, it’s become more important than ever for companies of all sizes to make sure paper files are secure and access is limited only to the people who are authorized to work with them.</p>



<p>Download a printable version of this document.</p>

‘A testament to style and function’

Business Storage Projects