| 2010 Sponsor Spotlight |  |
In today’s business world, going green can be all the rage – but what about when it comes time to move your business?
Commercial Works, a full service corporate relocation company with headquarters at 1299 Boltonfield St., constantly searches to develop ways to make its move services more earth friendly.
None, however, has had more impact than the implementation of Commercial Work’s plastic crate moving system.
“We’ve all seen the familiar cardboard boxes packed in hallways prior to a move. At Commercial Works, those boxes have been replaced on most moves with our re-usable plastic crate system,” says Commercial Works President Doug Hollingshead.
Commercial Works utilizes a recycled plastic crate and dolly system that has revolutionized the industry by eliminating the need for cardboard boxes in most moves.
Hollingshead said, “We made a significant investment a few years back, purchasing over 10,000 moving crates and dollies. We wanted to be on the leading edge of what we felt would be a growing trend. Right around 90 percent of all moves Commercial Works performs now utilizes the crate and dolly system.”
Ken Mulligan, Commercial Works Columbus sales manager, added, “Our plastic crates can hold heavier items than cardboard boxes, require no tape, and can be stacked up four high on a dolly.
“It’s really the best of both worlds for our clients – because they can move more efficiently, all while using a product made from recyclable materials that can be used over and over thousands of times.
“This has a significant and beneficial effect on the environment just by reducing the amount of cardboard used in every move. In addition, more contents fit onto one dolly and, therefore, fewer elevator loads (less electricity) and fewer truckloads (less fuel) are required to transport your things.”
Commercial Works has reduced its own usage of cardboard by over 60 percent in the last five years by utilizing the plastic crates whenever possible—not to mention reducing its tape usage and eliminating the fear of the boxes falling apart.
Mulligan said even a small four-to-five-person office move can require up to 100 or more cardboard boxes and endless rolls of tape. Now that same office move can be completed with reusable crates requiring no tape, and with no materials to be thrown out after the move.
“Another benefit to clients,” Mulligan said, “is the ability to stack the crates and boxes prior to packing and after unpacking. The crates can nestle within each other and 100 crates and dollies can fit into an area as little as five feet square. You can’t do that with boxes that are taped up and strewn about the room.
“We’ve all been there with unpacked boxes littering the floor and getting in the way of everyone trying to pack or unpack – utilizing our crates can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to pack, unpack, and clean up from a move – and that saves our clients valuable time, resources, and money.
“One thing is for sure, with all the advantage they provide moving crates are here to stay. They have become a large part of Commercial Works commitment to ‘going green in the workplace.’”
Commercial Works is a Platinum level sponsor of the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter. The company also has offices in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Louisville, Indianapolis, Charlotte, and Raleigh.