Clifford Chance

Combined Approach to Successful Expansion

When it became obvious that global law firm Clifford Chance would soon outgrow its current offices on Aldersgate in London, it was decided that expansion was the only option.

That was almost four years ago and the company has just moved into a purpose-built, 30 storey tower in Canary Wharf. Designed to combine a first class working environment with superb client facilities, everything about the building, from filing and storage to fixtures and fittings, needed to uphold the reputation of the firm.

“With such a big investment it is vital to get it right first time,” said Geoff Campbell, Office Services Manager at Clifford Chance. “We saw the move as an opportunity to improve on certain aspects of the old office, while continuing with the ideas that worked. Issues such as access to files were important, as in our industry time is literally money and we cannot afford to be inefficient.

“Rackline had provided more than 20 storage systems for us in the past and we knew they could provide us with a tailor-made solution to meet our needs.”

Andy Driver project executive added “One of the main reasons we chose Rackline’s Monotrak mobile system was the flush track which meant there wasn’t any need for any floor preparation, thereby reducing installation time by 50%. It also eliminated interface with other contractors regarding the flooring.
If future relocation becomes necessary it will be a simple operation without incurring any residual damage”

The storage was designed for semi-live files, which need to be instantly available but are not accessed every day. These consist mainly of ring binders and shelf files and therefore Rackline’s Monotrak system of mobile shelving was considered to be the most appropriate.

The installation consisted of several mobile units centred around the core of the building on each floor, which succeeded in reducing local filing at workstations to two linear metres. Alcoves were built around the core, to break up the expanse of shelving and create a more attractive interior space.
In total, 65 mobiles were installed in more than 2,000 bays, incorporating the equivalent of 12,000 linear metres of shelving.

Nick Marchuk, national sales manager for Rackline, said, “In every office there is ‘dead’ space, which cannot be used to seat employees or entertain clients but is perfect for storage. A bespoke solution helps to use this space more efficiently and by using specialist paint finishes, can even complement the existing office environment.”
Rackline is the leading manufacturer of mobile storage systems in Europe with an expanding portfolio of clients and 15,000 installations in a wide variety of sectors including architects, financial organisations, legal firms and the public sector.

back