The Good and the Crate

Author : Gordon Philip

28 May 2013

Renting crates for an ad-hoc business move may be the cost-effective option, says Gordon Philip of PHS Teacrate

Whether it's a complete relocation or a temporary internal move, when a business is faced with the need to move its staff, the practicalities of moving all the related office effects become all too clear.

Paperwork, files, books, computer equipment and desktop consumables all have to be carefully packed and moved.

Everybody concerned, from the business owner to the facility manager, to the employee has an interest in executing the move as quickly and as painlessly as possible. There are benefits of using plastic packing crates when undertaking a business move, and why renting crates for an ad-hoc move is a cost-effective solution.

Companies of all shapes and sizes at some point in their evolution will need to move. Whether it's a complete physical relocation into more suitable premises, or a case of rearranging the layout and use of existing space. It may be that premises require maintenance work, re-decoration or emergency repairs and employees need to be moved temporarily.

All these scenarios would require some thought as to how workplace effects can be moved most securely, efficiently and cost effectively. Plastic packing crates are manufactured from tough polypropylene, which makes them exceptionally robust and secure. They're specifically designed to hold and protect the items within them, so the risk of damage to contents is minimised.

Most removal crates come in lidded varieties which means they're weatherproof and can be securely sealed. Rental crates are delivered clean and ready to pack immediately. There is no downtime preparing the crates for use. Crates can be delivered direct to a specified location, even to a precise location within a building, and at a time to suit. This leaves staff free and ready to get on with the job in hand.

A range of different plastic packing crates may be hired depending on the items to be moved, for example, computer crates, book crates and standard lidded crates, which are perfect all-rounders.

Estimating the number of rental crates required for a move is relatively straightforward, especially with the assistance of an experienced supplier or by using online crate calculator tools, which recommend the required number of crates based on staff head counts.

The crate rental option is very convenient. The crates arrive where and when you need them and when your move is complete the crates are collected; there's no need for a business to store crates once the move is done. Furthermore, there's no wastage with crate hire, a business is charged only for the number of crates that it uses and there is no cardboard or other packaging to dispose of afterwards.

Reusable plastic crates offer advantages when it comes to the environment, but how do they score on health and safety? Most crates are ergonomically designed with large moulded handles each side for easy lifting. They will not split underneath dropping heavy contents onto toes! Lidded crates can be stacked securely when full without risk of toppling and they can be safely nested when empty. A crate hire company will offer crates that have been specifically designed for safe lifting and may also offer skates and other handling equipment for hire such as trolleys and cages, to safely transport crates and office furniture.

As with all manual handling operations, the job in hand should be carefully assessed and steps taken to minimise the risk of injury. Plastic packing crates are the preferred choice for business moves but do you buy or rent them? The vast majority of businesses will rent crates, because for them, renting crates makes sound business sense. If your business has an ongoing need for crates, for example, you have significant storage requirements over a long period of time, then it may be more cost effective to purchase crates.

Consider ex-rental or used crates as competitive prices can be achieved on these. If your project is ad-hoc, then crate rental allows complete flexibility to your business needs. You would avoid the large capital outlays involved if purchasing crates. With rental, controlled and predictable costs can be achieved, which are variable, not fixed. Also, with crate rental a business can access the experience and know-how of the provider, who would have much to offer in terms of advice and support.

* Gordon Philip is commercial director with PHS Teacrate