Patterson Pope - Corporate Storage 101

STORAGE 101

The stuff to know to do storage right

Corporate spaces today vary widely. You might have an open-plan space with employees coming in on a hybrid schedule. Or employees working in their cubicles but meeting in a break room to catch up on the latest streaming sensation and office gossip. Whatever your work environment looks like, it’s a safe bet you need storage.

Whether it’s for employee personal belongings, office supplies, IT hardware, files, books or important documentation, you’re going to want to balance convenience and cost, security and the amount of space required. Patterson Pope brings 50+ years of experience in storage solutions to the table when designing and installing corporate storage.

We’ve earned a solid reputation—from consultation to implementation—for storage designs that deliver bottom-line results for clients including:

+ Randstad

+ BakerHostetler

+ Nationwide

+ Peaksware

+ Quikrete

+ Callisons

+ SAS

“The designer came back with real, workable solutions for us. All we had to do was tweak the details and select finishes. It made my life easier to have those details taken care of by Patterson Pope.”

— Whitney Sexton, corporate design for SAS in Cary, NC

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR PROJECT

We spend many of our waking hours at work. Even with the move to remote and hybrid work, the importance of efficient and welcoming environments can’t be underestimated. How you allocate space and allow for storage can dramatically impact how people feel about working for you and how they get things done.

Patterson Pope’s experts can advise with storage strategies that help your productivity and prioritize your people’s engagement and well-being, whichever of the three scenarios best describes your business needs:

+ Relocating to a new space

+ Expanding an existing space

+ Renovating current space

EXPANDING

Relocating to a new space is exciting. You’re working with architects/planners to build out a new environment that meets all of your storage needs. You can enjoy the freedom to imagine “what if?” You may be planning to bring your old storage systems, but you want to integrate them with fresh solutions. Or you have the budget to go high-tech and state-of-the-art in re-imagining space and storage.

RELOCATING RENOVATING

Renovating your current space is more challenging. You have to work within the boundaries of what you already have. The goal is to find optimal ways to use that footprint to improve workflow and access, and to better secure what you store.

With expansion of an existing space, you can look forward to having more space and storage. But you’re more likely to want to repurpose what you’ve been using before. Plus, you’re still limited by your environment. Factors such as HVAC, weight-bearing columns and fire exits can all impact the project design.

Understanding your situation and its challenges can help you in goal-setting for your project. Identify all your stakeholders:

+ Who needs to be consulted?

+ Who are the decision-makers?

+ What end-users will be involved?

+ Are those end-users going to be trained in the storage solutions offered?

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR STORAGE?

Your storage solution expert is going to have a lot of questions for you.

Knowing the key players makes it easier to gauge your objectives. A storage expert will come in and ask “what problems are you trying to solve?” The answers can vary for different people within an organization — even on the same project. Priorities include:

+ Increasing amount of storage

+ Creating flexible spaces

+ Improving access to what is stored

+ Reducing footprint of storage solution

+ Designing storage to enhance workflow

+ Saving money and ROI

Knowing how much you’re ready to invest can help shape your storage project brainstorming from the outset. It’s all part of getting to know your project. Doing this thinking now helps position your project for success as you move forward.

Questions like...:

What do you have that needs to be stored?

How often is what is stored need to be accessed?

Does it need to be secured?

What role does storage play in workflow?

Will storage be publicly available or not?

Do you need to track the items stored?

Do items need to be kept temperature controlled?

TYPES OF STORAGE

HIGH-DENSITY STORAGE SYSTEMS

LOCKERS

MODULAR CASEWORK

STATIC SHELVING

CABINETS SMART STORAGE

Every foot of corporate storage costs your business money. In constructing a single-story office building, one square foot could cost as much as $378. In commercial buildings, the high-end cost per square foot is $607. Constructing a high-rise, high-end corporate building costs $730 per square foot. Just renting office space costs $38 per square foot in Q1 2023. With your business’s bottom line at the top of mind, you’ll want to effectively maximize your corporate space and make the most of your storage solutions to save space.

The many types of storage solutions available today for corporate storage can help your business optimize space and drive productivity by:

+ Saving space that can be allocated for other purposes

+ Increasing access to what you need

+ Offering greater accountability for resources

+ Improving ergonomics for employee wellbeing

+ Securing necessary files and documents for compliance and industry regulations

+ Streamlining work processes

Do away with fixed aisles that take up valuable space with mobile, high-density shelving systems. Also called “compact storage,” these solutions save up to 50% of your space by mounting shelves, cabinets and other storage onto movable carriages. Increase efficiency with a system specially designed for whatever you want to store, regardless of its height, weight, size or shape.

Applications for electric-powered, mechanical-assist or manual high-density storage systems abound. In corporate settings, you might use these low-profile, modular modal shelving systems to:

+ Increase floor space to provide more room for collaborative workspaces or meeting areas

+ Double storage capacity in file rooms, archives, libraries or facilities management areas

+ Improve organization throughout the corporate workspace

+ Reduce workplace safety hazards with convenient access for your employees

Provide personal storage with a sophisticated look. Select from steel or laminate traditional lockers in a wide range of materials and colors, plus a broad selection of heights, lengths and locker depths.

Or embrace the future of on-demand storage with high-tech smart lockers. Open these flexible, adaptable lockers using a company access card, a smartphone or workplace app, PIN codes or even facial recognition. These self-service systems also provide remote and flexible locker management to simplify facilities management.

Corporate lockers offer several advantages:

+ Provide employees with a designated personal storage space to promote a clean and organized workspace, ensuring more focused and productive employees

+ Ensure sensitive or personal items are secure, and not left exposed to colleagues or visitors, contributing to a respectful and considerate workplace atmosphere.

+ Demonstrate your organization is invested in creating a supportive and employee-friendly work environment to positively impact morale, job satisfaction, and overall company culture

Modular casework provides a practical, adaptable, and aesthetically pleasing approach to storage in a corporate work setting, contributing to improved productivity. Customize your casework with adjustable shelving and organizing modules for your unique application and design aesthetic.

The use of durable materials and construction techniques ensures that the casework can withstand frequent use, reducing the need for constant replacements or repairs. But you’ll know you have the freedom to easily reconfigure your storage as business needs evolve.

Modular casework may look like built-in furniture, but it offers great flexibility for the evolving needs of your corporate environment:

+ Adapt to accommodate new requirements, ensuring efficient use of space and resources

+ Maximize space utilization to help keep the workspace organized and clutter-free

+ Choose colors, finishes, and styles that align with your branding and interior design

+ Assemble and install modular units with less time and effort compared to traditional built-ins

Static, sturdy shelving can accommodate your needs today while still allowing you to plan for the future. You get cost-effective and space-efficient storage that requires less initial investment and maintenance.

Install commercial-grade shelving, made from heavy-duty steel and finished with durable powder-coat paint, to take advantage of:

+ A budget-friendly option for companies looking to optimize their corporate storage without overspending

+ Versatile storage accommodating a wide range of items, from documents and office supplies to equipment and personal belongings

+ Straightforward installation which ensures your solution is up and running quickly, without causing disruptions to daily operations

+ Flexibility to cater to changing storage needs in mail or file rooms, office libraries or archives, work areas and more

Cantilever Shelving

4-Post Shelving

Bin Shelving Wide-Span Shelving

Organization is essential to operational success. And you want a professional look too. Cabinet storage solutions have many applications in corporate work environments. Our customers enjoy effectively maximizing space and reducing clutter while securely storing sensitive documents, equipment and personal belongings.

Enhance your storage capabilities and maintain an efficient and attractive corporate workplace by:

+ Providing enclosed spaces to keep workspaces tidy and create a more focused, productive work environment

+ Housing your digital media library in rotary file cabinets

+ Looking after larger materials in flat file storage

+ Storing irreplaceable items in fireproof cabinets or museum-quality storage cabinets

+ Incorporating drawers or retractable doors to combine accessibility and space efficiency with top-notch security

Smart lockers can improve operational flexibility. Meet today’s needs knowing you can easily adapt your storage lockers to respond to future requirements. Give your people convenient access to private storage (no matter how dynamic your workspace is). Plus, your business can leverage advances in locker technology for greater visibility into employee behaviors to understand locker usage in detail. Select from a variety of smart locker types to suit your specific organizational needs:

+ Employee personal locker — Support total freedom of movement providing employees with personal storage they can conveniently access with an employee RFID card or a smartphone or workplace app.

+ Team locker — Maybe all members of your team aren’t onsite on the same day. Team lockers let people share documents and technology by providing a secure place to support collaboration.

+ Parcel/package delivery locker — Cut facility manager workload by providing dedicated delivery lockers. Employees can accept mail and packages or food deliveries, get equipment and exchange documents in a secure, streamlined way.

+ Visitor locker — Give guests access to flexible, personal storage to welcome them with convenience while also promoting workplace security. Expecting more visitors on a given day? Easily allocate some of your other lockers to meet the need.

+ Changing room/Gym locker — Provide uniformed employees with secure storage or remove one hurdle from employees exercising with smart lockers for personal belongings.

+ IT asset locker — Dedicate lockers to support IT asset distribution and help desk ticket management. This facilitates exchange of technology without employees having to be onsite at the same time as your techs.

CORPORATE STORAGE APPLICATIONS

With creative thinking (and our expert insights), any corporate setting can see space savings and productivity benefits. Our experience in all phases of storage sales, planning, design, install allow us to create custom storage solutions for any application and make the process as easy as possible for you and your company.

FILE ROOMS

CORPORATE LIBRARIES

MAIL ROOMS / OFFICE SERVICES

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT / IT

COMMUNITY WORKSPACE / ON-SITE GYMS

COLLABORATIVE SPACE

CORPORATE ARCHIVES

No matter how much digital transformation businesses undergo, many still need file room storage. Patterson Pope offers 50+ years of expertise in equipping corporate settings with shelving and cabinetry to suit the space.

Our experts consult with you to determine what layout and storage offerings will best support the way your work gets done. Top offerings include:

+ Flexible, durable, lateral file cabinets offer unmatched quality in a wide range of color options. Add bookcases or drawers to cabinets designed to increase your space while improving efficiency.

+ Rotary storage file cabinets conserve office space while securely storing your materials. Select from single-sided or double-sided access and multiple key lock options or touchpad technology.

+ Universally slotted 4-post shelving can change as your storage needs evolve. Attach pull-out shelves, bin dividers, drawers, lockable doors or other custom features to create the storage system you need.

+ Capture even more space by mounting storage on mobile compact systems to eliminate wasted aisles while continuing to provide convenient access.

A CASE IN POINT

When law firm BakerHostetler decided to relocate its headquarters to a single Cleveland building, file storage was a critical consideration. Ensuring adequate room and security for the attorney files, records, and law library volumes required a reimagining of the available space. A combination of Spacesaver stationary case-style shelving, Spacesaver bi- and tri-file systems for attorney files, high-density mobile systems for the law library and records room, along with 4-post and case-style shelving for the tax library, provided the flexible solution the firm needed.

It was helpful to have someone come in and explain what was available because we lacked that expertise. It was a positive experience and provided exactly what we needed.

— Larry Lindberg, Partner, BakerHostetler

Corporate libraries support the hard work your people do. The virtual footprint of libraries continues to grow, but that doesn’t mean doing away with actual physical spaces. Ensure the relevance of the corporate library and make it a rewarding space for people to access valuable resources by matching your storage solution to user needs.

Cantilever shelving and 4-post shelving are probably what you visualize when thinking of a traditional library setting. This strong and durable storage can be designed for stationary use or mounted on mobile carriages to create compact storage solutions. We’ve worked with a wide range of customers to:

+ Store and display periodicals and other specialized media

+ Add casters to create mobile carts

+ Install pull-out bins and other accessories to provide convenient access to DVDs and other media

+ Customize end panels to enhance the facility’s interior design (we’ve done brand colors, wood, acrylic, recycled paper and even old photographs)

Here’s another idea: Modernize library services, accounting for hybrid work schedules, by installing library lockers to facilitate secure, contactless checkout and return of materials.

A CASE IN POINT

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) holds an extensive music library of sheet music. After years in an overflowing office with makeshift storage fixes, the CSO Library needed an upgrade. When approval came in to renovate Music Hall, the library team also gained the opportunity to reshape the closed-in space and address an overwhelming storage sprawl situation. Patterson Pope provided high-density mobile storage carriages to conveniently store more than 11,5000 sets of music and offer improved access to the librarians, musicians, and visitors wanting to explore the history of music in the city.

READ THE CASE STUDY

Working with Patterson Pope “brought about a new sense of clarity to both our holdings and our archives. It’s really given us a whole new perspective, and an appreciation for where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. It’s been wonderful.

— Christina Eaton, Associate Principal Librarian, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra

An efficient mailroom supports prompt business communications, lower response times and better customer service. In short, the mailroom is vital to business strategy and success. Create more value with mail storage and furniture designed to organize and manage all the mail that comes in.

You’ll see immediate positive effects when you install a Patterson Pope storage solution. Our array of large consoles, sort modules, and workspace and mailroom furniture provides the right place to put correspondence, important documents and supplies. That helps get the information to the right people when they need it.

Take advantage of a wide range of mailroom sorting and office services storage options with features including:

+ Robust construction that’s built to last

+ Many design options to suit your office aesthetics

+ Adjustable shelves that are sized to accommodate boxes, bulky items and more

A CASE IN POINT

SAS, a large software company located in Cary, NC, wanted a modern, efficient space that evoked a sense of calm when upgrading one of the buildings on its multi-acre campus. This extended even to the mailroom. Working with the company’s in-house designers, Patterson Pope’s experts provided the modular casework storage solution to streamline each of the company’s seven mail/copy rooms. Having used a Hamilton Sorter in the past, SAS upgraded to Hamilton’s Modular Casework for clean, bright storage that suits the tech company’s fast-paced environment.

READ THE CASE STUDY

We really enjoyed working with our designer…The space is clean and modern and features a lot of storage.

—

Whitney Sexton, corporate design for SAS in Cary, NC

Facilities and IT management are the backbone of corporate success. Your facilities management team supports business productivity, security and safety while IT works to keep everyone connected efficiently.

When these teams know where to find everything they need, it’s easier to manage the corporate work environment, find synergies between operational assets and technology, maintain and update IT equipment maintenance and manage your infrastructure to support all employees. Simplify and streamline the work these important teams do with storage solutions such as:

+ Modular drawer cabinets that improve security, convenience and space efficiency

+ Bin shelving able to accommodate and organize a wide range of items

+ Rousseau workbenches and mobile drawer cabinets that provide stationary or mobile workspaces to safely and efficiently perform tasks

+ Smart steel lockers or laminate traditional lockers in a wide range of materials and colors provide self-service units to offer remote and flexible management.

A CASE IN POINT

Combining modular casework and Rousseau workbenches “worked out very well” for the IT team at BakerHostetler, says firm partner Larry Lindberg. Patterson Pope’s team suggested a mix of products to allow space to lay out 10 to 15 computers, store parts, cables and more. Yet you can still move around easily.

READ THE CASE STUDY

Rousseau workbenches and wide-span shelving work for Nationwide’s national headquarters in Ohio. When the insurance company consolidated two offices on one new 500,000-square-foot campus, facilities/ IT was just one area where Patterson Pope provided storage.

READ THE CASE STUDY

We make it easy for them and help create an attractive finished look. It’s a great combination.

— Patterson Pope Sales Representative Eric Martin

Evolutions in the traditional work environment have created new storage needs. The corporate space is no longer simply cubicles and offices with some conference rooms in the mix. You may need to have all types of different workstations as well as space for Scrum standups, lactation rooms, gyms, wellness spaces, nap corners or family room-style break areas.

This variety of effective corporate workspaces makes every storage installation unique. Patterson Pope’s experts are proud to provide the shelving, cabinets, furniture, cubicles and workstation solutions to suit all office needs.

As you face increased pressure to provide a welcoming, comfortable workplace where people want to be, transform your community workspace:

+ Enjoy flexible functionality with the added bonus of a seven-year depreciation schedule as well as a lifetime warranty with adjustable modular casework

+ Install electric-powered, mechanical-assist or manual mobile systems to take full advantage of your footprint

+ Provide personal storage with a sophisticated look with high-tech yet user-friendly Smart lockers

+ Incorporate drawers or receding doors into cabinets to combine accessibility and space efficiency with top-notch security

+ Store irreplaceable items in fireproof cabinets or museum-quality storage cabinets

A CASE IN POINT

Peaksware wanted to build a very tech-friendly, user-friendly office. The company turned to Patterson Pope to provide friction-free convenient storage solutions. In the software development company’s new corporate building, smart lockers provide necessary storage while continuing to offer a cutting-edge, tech company aesthetic.

Instead of asking employees to come with their own locks, Peaksware offers three banks of smart lockers configured for different use cases with employees accessing an app to reserve and release the lockers. “The best thing is being able to leave things here and not having to worry about forgetting your keys. In the event I did, I can use my phone,” says full-time locker user Felicia Elenum.

READ THE CASE STUDY

You couldn’t really ask for much more in a customer journey. From design and installation through to support, Patterson Pope’s experts have been a great help.

— Nathon Johnson, Manager, IT, Peaksware

The rapidly evolving workplace has people working a mix of full-time, hybrid and fully remote. That’s only the latest change causing us to reimagine workspaces.

Take Randstad USA. When the human resources company moved to a more collaborative setup it abandoned the one-person-one-desk-model. Instead, they added smart lockers to offer each employee peace of mind that their belongings were safely stored in the hybrid workplace.

Yet you need to enable storage throughout the work environment to really empower collaboration. You might consider:

+ Turning waist-height storage cabinets into a collaborative surface where your people can meet to discuss models, drawings or other designs

+ Putting team storage lockers in laboratories to enable employees working different shifts to share materials and secure their equipment

+ Adding bike racks to encourage employee wellbeing and reduce carbon footprint for commuters

+ Rethinking how you divide space with movable walls that enable power connectivity or encourage better light distribution

+ Using static shelving to delineate collaborative space and create brainstorming nooks or impromptu meeting areas

A CASE IN POINT

Flexibility was a top priority for Callisons when the flavor company moved its offices and labs. “There was a functional consideration and an ergonomic one as well,” said Bob Motta, Callisons’ chief business development officer. The right solution combined counters with durable work surfaces, deep shelving and cabinetry with many easily accessible drawers. The design also accommodated room to work and bench space with each lab having room for team discussions and group testing sessions.

READ THE CASE STUDY

We don’t know what the office is going to look like in the future. But this customized solution allows us to take it on, no matter what.

— Jeff Baer, Director, Workplace Services, Randstad

Corporate history shapes your business today. Being able to effectively organize and store memorabilia and records from your founding to the present can boost your business and employee understanding of your brand.

Working with a variety of clients from World of Coca-Cola to Quikrete, Patterson Pope has successfully set up archives that respect, highlight and preserve the past:

+ Archive holdings with adjustable, wide-span shelving able to accommodate all shapes and sizes

+ Store drawings, maps, posters and ads in flat file storage cabinets

+ Make the most of your vertical space with high-bay storage

+ Reclaim wasted aisle space with secure and compact mobile shelving

A CASE IN POINT

Delta has been collecting items to commemorate its history since the 1950s. The collection today includes travel posters, ticket jackets, photographs, flight crew insignia, bag tags, old advertisements, clothing, model airplanes, sculptures, glassware and flatware, china, and more.

The 4,000-square-foot corporate archives sits in a converted hangar original to Delta Air Lines. Here, art racks, cabinets, wide-span shelving and mechanical assist high-density shelving improve access and organization while providing the archives room to grow.

READ THE CASE STUDY

— Tina Mason Seetoo, Archives Associate, Delta Flight Museum

Every archive has objects that are very hard to work with and that don’t fit into our norms for storage.

PLANNING AND DESIGN

When you work with a partner such as Patterson Pope, the planning and design stage begins with a space survey and assessment. There are no cookie-cutter problems in the world of storage and no onesize-fits-all solutions. Our experts look at:

+ Access points in the room

+ ADA considerations

+ Item weight

+ Need for security

+ Code compliance concerns

+ Floor load

+ Structural engineering factors

+ Fire code implications

+ Sprinkler heads, fire alarm, HVAC placement

“We’re not just trying to pack a lot of stuff in a small space. We’re trying to create a workflow, a really efficient work environment, and a safer workplace.”

— Mike Hisman

Whether working directly with the client or the client’s architect, designer, engineer or contractor, Patterson Pope’s certified planners co-design a customized storage solution. Based on measurements of the available space and inventory of your current storage solutions, our dedicated planners will draw up specs to meet your needs.

We want to make the project suit your needs. So, we have a revision stage as well. Our storage specialist brings the designs back to your decision-makers to ask for your input before anything is settled and agreed upon.

All in a Day’s Planning

Our planners might get handed detailed, thorough specs from the site visit and consultation with the client. Or they’re given just the bare essentials and carte blanche to find the best solution. Using multiple design software tools, the planners then move many different storage options around to make the storage solution space effective. They’re not only thinking about aesthetics but also how the storage solution will be used today — and in the future.

Click here to learn more about the P2 Process

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INSTALLATION

Patterson Pope collaborates with your engineers, general contractors and sub-contractors to take the scheduling responsibility off your shoulders. We work out a timeline for product delivery and installation that works with your schedule. Then, when it comes time to install, Patterson Pope’s technicians and installation crews are full-time, experienced storage installers. They’re certified with our manufacturers, experienced in applications, and have collectively over 100 years of experience in the field.

To make sure we’re getting it right, Patterson Pope uses CompanyCam. During an install, our managers take pictures of the work in progress and upload them to the Patterson Pope system. The sales rep, the service install manager and our company’s VP of operations can all make sure the project is on track.

With smart storage solutions, Patterson Pope also has consultants on staff who can troubleshoot the software. Even when it comes to powered lifts and mobile shelving, it is critical that we have people on our team that know and support this technology.

Our teams are flexible and work to meet the scheduling requests of clients, architects and designers. Need us to come in after hours? Or on a certain date? We’ll work hard to make that commitment work.

We install it right. Or we make it right. OUR PROMISE

Patterson Pope partners with the best storage system manufacturers. That means you get top quality product and top-of-the-line warranties too.

ONGOING RELATIONSHIP

Our long-term partnership starts with Patterson Pope’s technical crews offering onsite product training. This makes sure your people know how to use the storage systems we put in place. We’ll also go over the product warranties, service agreements and maintenance contracts.

We’ve been doing this for more than 50 years. We stand by the quality of the products we sell and the care you get working with us.

NEXT STEPS

Thinking storage upfront in a new building, an expansion or renovation, lets you plan for efficient use of space—today and in the future—in a cost-effective way.

With Patterson Pope, you’re buying the whole package. You’re not just getting a storage solution. You’re getting the design, project management, installation and a long-term relationship with a company you can count on.

Make the most of the space you have. Patterson Pope’s storage experts can help you select a corporate office storage solution that maximizes your working environment and meets the criteria set by budget or spatial challenges.

We can help you create safe, secure, organized, accessible and modular storage systems. Enjoy flexibility, functionality and scalability with our corporate office storage solutions.

Patterson Pope takes the complicated and makes it simple. Your records, your stuff, your space — all simplified. If it’s in your organization and you can touch it, we help you store it, track it and retrieve it using less space and time than you ever thought possible.

Over its decades in the storage business, Patterson Pope has earned an excellent reputation as a committed partner with clients, architects and general contractors by providing expertise — from consultation to implementation — that delivers bottom-line results.

CALL US: 866.866.4778

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