Climbing the paper mountain
October 1st 2007

Iron Mountain helps organisations around the world reduce the costs and risks associated with information protection and storage. Ensuring the business keeps its materials handling fleet running every day is entrusted to Rushlift

Iron Mountain prides itself on understanding companies' needs for protecting sensitive information and aims to deliver innovative, cost-effective solutions businesses require to reduce their exposure risks. With almost 100 sites across the UK, it turned to Rushlift to make sure all operations were in order.

"We've watched the company grow rapidly and we're delighted to be helping such a prestigious business," says Rushlift's account manager, Kris Thompson. "We began by supplying just a small number of forklifts, and after reviewing their fleet we've become the sole materials handling partner for the company." With over 100 units in operation, including various brands of VNA, counterbalance trucks with up to seven metre masts, access platforms and general warehouse kit, the Iron Mountain operation is a prime example of a modern, multifaceted logistics operation. "It's more than just kit," says Thompson. "We supply whatever best fits the job and our alliances with specific manufacturers allow us to be more discerning than a single brand supplier.

We look at how best to manage the flow of materials, how to make best use of space, enabling maximum return on investment. So we're as much an advisor as a supplier." Added into the mix then is operator training, health and safety advice and a commitment to looking at newer and better ways to get the job done. It was this approach, after returning to the customer with maintenance recommendations, ways to reduce downtime and a planned replacement programme for older types of kit that saw Rushlift become Iron Mountain's sole supplier.

"This approach provides companies with the best solutions," says Rushlift's sales and marketing director, John Chappell, "It is the only way to develop long-term business relationships with organisations that rely on successful materials handling for their success – but do not want to be trapped by its daily demands." In today's environment, daily business operations are generating vast amounts of information, both paper and digital. With increasingly stringent regulations, firms need to manage and protect their information. Although the importance of records management is widely understood, the complexity associated with implementing a legally credible records management programme can be extremely challenging.

"With that type of business model, a highly efficient warehousing operation is not only desirable," Chappell concludes, "it's essential."

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